Stand Up

The dismantling of our government continues. Last week brought the evisceration of the Office of Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education. And alarmingly, the person who occupies the White House decreed universities that permit students to “protest illegally” will lose federal funding. 

 100 years ago, attacks on academic freedom at the University of Texas drove some professors away.[1] A few years later, the governor of Washington fired the president of the University of Washington in retaliation for the president’s wartime support for “an eight-hour day in Washington lumber camps.”[2]

 Antonio Henry Suzzallo was born in San Jose, California, in 1875.[3] The son of Croatian immigrants, he overcame early academic struggles to attend Stanford and Columbia.[4] In the midst of his academic studies, he lost both parents: first, his mother died in an accident, and one month later, his father died as well.[5]

 Professor Suzzallo returned to the San Francisco Bay Area, serving as a deputy superintendent of the city schools before moving into higher education.[6] He became president of the University of Washington in 1915. Eleven years later, it was his World War I advocacy for an eight-hour workday that likely cost him his job.[7]

 Roland Hill Hartley rose through political ranks in Minnesota, but was drawn to the Pacific Northwest, where he amassed a fortune through lumber.[8] He “hated taxes, government spending, and unions[.]”[9] He lost his first two campaigns for governor but won in 1924. He quickly moved to control higher education. While four universities obeyed, the University of Washington resisted. Hartley struck back, dismissing most regents and appointing his own, who promptly demanded President Suzzallo’s resignation:

 “The blow was not altogether unexpected, as Governor Hartley has shown his vindictive spirit against President Suzzallo since he was elected governor, and has laid his plans ever since to finally oust him by removing the regents of the university on flimsy pretexts, and appointing his own adherents instead.”[10]

 Students swarmed the president’s home, urging a boycott of the school.[11] And others circulated a petition to recall the governor.

 Suzzallo had been Carnegie Foundation for Advancement of Teaching board member since 1919; after his unjust removal from the University, he became its head.[12] In 1929, the U.S. Secretary of Education appointed Suzzallo to direct a nationwide-educational study.[13] But like his parents, his life was cut short when he died at age 58.[14]  

Courage comes in many forms. Sometimes, it’s a university professor or administrator refusing to be silenced. It might be a law firm refusing to be cowed by a vindictive politician. Or it might be a government worker quietly throwing sand in the gears. Those who can and are in areas where it will make an impact are taking to the street, no matter how exercising their freedom of speech is mischaracterized. We must stand up—or lose the freedoms those who came before us fought for.

[1] Melanie Proctor, “Finding Hope in the Past,” Integrity Through Time (https://integrity-through-time.beehiiv.com/p/finding-hope-in-the-past), 19 Jan 2025. All websites visited 19 March 2025.

[2] “Dr. Suzzallo Fired as University Prexy,” Spokane (Washington) Chronicle, 4 Oct 1926, p. 1, cols. 2–3; imaged, OldNews (www.oldnews.com).

[3] 1880 U.S. Census, Santa Clara County, California, population schedule, San Jose, page 44 (handwritten), enumeration district (ED) 243, dwelling 415, family 458, Antionio (5) in household of Peter Suzzallo; imaged, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/records/43636670)..

[4] FindAGrave (www.findagrave.com/memorial/75062445), memorial 75062445, Henry Suzzallo (22 Aug 1875—25 Sep 1933), cremated; maintained by The Silent Forgotten (ID 46537737).

[5] FindAGrave (www.findagrave.com/memorial/118304761/anna-suzzallo), memorial 118304761, Anna Suzzallo (unknown—27 Nov 1903), Santa Clara Mission Cemetery, Santa Clara, California; maintained by Squeak (ID 47437442).

[6] FindAGrave (www.findagrave.com/memorial/75062445), memorial 75062445, Henry Suzzallo.

[7] “Dr. Suzzallo Fired as University Prexy,” Spokane (Washington) Chronicle, 4 Oct 1926, p. 1, cols. 2–3.

[8] Margaret Riddle, “Hartley, Roland Hill (1864–1952),” HistoryLink.org (https://www.historylink.org/File/8008).

[9] Ibid.

[10] “Dr. Suzallo is Dismissed,” The Chehalis Bee-Nugget (Chehalis, Washington), 8 Oct 1926, p. 1, col. 6; imaged, OldNews.com (www.oldnews.com).

[11] Ibid.

[12] “Dr. Suzzallo of Seattle is Dead,” The Great Falls Leader (Great Falls, Montana), 25 Sep 1933, p. 1, col. 6; imaged, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com/image/1018532887).

[13] “Rosenwald Gives $100,000 for U.S. Education Survey,” The Washington Daily News (Washington, D.C.), 19 Nov 1929, p. 20, col. 3; imaged, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com/image/1018532887).

[14] FindAGrave (www.findagrave.com/memorial/75062445), memorial 75062445, Henry Suzzallo. He did not have children, but his sister had at least four. 1910 U.S. census, Santa Clara, California, San Jose, enumeration district (ED) 94, sheet 6A, dwelling 91, family 131, Amelia K. Pavley (31) in household of Blas J. Pavley; imaged, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7884/records/178472083). Amelia’s brother, Peter Suzzallo also resided with her.