By Dick Mason

Observer Staff Writer

A building is named after him at Western Oregon University in Monmouth, but perhaps the most impressive testament to his legacy is Eastern Oregon University's campus.

The man in question is Roben Maaske, who served as Eastern's president from 1939 to 1950.

Many believe Maaske is the reason Eastern Oregon University did not close during World War II, according Helen Moore, an EOU history student.

"It is the opinion of many who were here then that without his strong leadership Eastern would not have stayed open during the war. Eastern might have closed its doors, perhaps forever,'' Moore said.

Moore has outlined Maaske's contributions to Eastern in a paper she wrote for her senior thesis.

Maaske was noted for his dictatorial leadership. His strong style was needed, however, after the United States entered World War II in December of 1941. Enrollment plummeted after most of Eastern's male students left school to join the military. Eastern had 348 students when the war started and just under 250 a year later. State leaders began talking about closing Eastern's campus, said La Grande historian Jack Evans.

Maaske addressed the problem by launching a campaign to lure an Army Air Force College training program to Eastern. Despite long odds, Maaske succeed in luring one of the Army Air Force College programs to Eastern.

"There was a lot of stiff competition for the programs,'' Moore said.

The program provided a huge financial boost for Eastern, bringing in $250,000 during the year it was here.

The addition of the program quieted talk of closing Eastern.

"They couldn't shut it down because it was part of the war effort,'' Evans said. "They couldn't in good conscious close it.''

The program was in place from April of 1943 through April 1944. A total of 2,102 cadets attended the Army Air Force College Training Detachment during this time.

The cadets stayed downtown at the old Sacajawea Hotel and in Hunt Hall (then known as Dorion Hall).

None of the cadets would have come here if Maaske had not used his national contacts to lure the program to EOU.

"He was a shrewd politician,'' Moore said.

She said Maaske kept in close contact with senators and congressmen and was constantly attending national meetings.

"He made sure that the national leaders knew who he was and where he was from,'' Moore said.

Maaske earlier had brought a Civil Aeronautics Administration civilian pilot training program to Eastern. It provided the training students needed to get their pilots licenses. Maaske used some of the federal contacts he made while getting the CAA program helped him land the Army Air Force College Training Detachment, Moore said.

While in La Grande, the Army Air Force cadets attended classes at Eastern that covered everything from English to civil air regulations. In addition students received flight instruction at Union County's airport.

Following World War II, Eastern's enrollment grew after the return of soldiers from the war. Many veterans attended college with the aid of the GI Bill.

Maaske left Eastern in 1950 to become president of Western Oregon University. He died while serving as Western's president. Today a building on Western's campus, Maaske Hall, is named after him.

While at Eastern, Maaske was known for his incomparable work ethic.

"He was a human dynamo. He worked day and night. He was a remarkable man, a man of principle. I would have liked to have had the chance to meet him,'' said Evans, who formerly was EOU's library director.

Maaske would not hesitate to call faculty late at night if he had a question about something he was working on. Evans, said that when faculty told stories about Maaske's late-night calls they did not sound resentful or bitter.

"They could hardly complain because he was working so hard,'' Evans said. "He set a pretty good example for everyone.''