San Angelo Standard-Times
San Angelo, Texas
Monday, January 27, 1964, page 2A

Dr. H. Lowman; SHSTC President

Standard-Times New Service

HOUSTON - Funeral services are pending for Dr. Harmon Lowman, president of Sam Houston State Teachers College and father Dr. Harmon Lowman Jr. of San Angelo.

Dr. Lowman, dean of Texas' state college presidents, died here of cancer Sunday night in M. S. Anderson Hospital. He had been in and out of the hospital the past few years and was last admitted Jan. 9.

His son is dean at San Angelo College.

Dr. Lowman became president of the college in 1941 after serving as vice president of Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He had the longest tenure of any president of a state-supported college or university in Texas.

When he became president of Sam Houston, the campus had 21 buildings valued at $1,180,960. There are now 77 buildings worth $19 million. Enrollment has increased fivefold.

Dr. Lowman held bachelor and master degrees from the University of Texas and a doctorate from the University of Chicago.

He is survived by one other son, Bill Lowman of Friendswood; six grandchildren; four brothers, Lawrence Loman of Houston, Horace Lowman of Floresville, Travis Lowman of Corpus Christi and O. J. Lowman of Victoria; and two sisters, Mrs. Milton Cabiness of Lockhart and Mrs. Roy Landers of El Paso.

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Harmon Lowman was the fourth president of Sam Houston State University (1942-1964).

He was educated in San Marcos and later volunteered for military service,serving with the 345th Field Artillery during WWI. After the war Lowman received degrees from Southwest Texas State Teachers College (B.A., 1924), the University of Texas (M.A., 1925), and the University of Chicago (Ph.D., 1930). His career in education took him across Texas from public schools in Livingston and Baytown to Stephen F. Austin State Teachers College and Lee Junior College. After serving for a year as executive secretary of Southern Methodist University, Lowman became president of Sam Houston State Teachers College.

The campus grew dramatically during his tenure, especially in areas of residence halls and instructional facilities, and SHSU earned the claim as the first completely air-conditioned campus in the world. Lowman also secured Country Campus, a nearby World War II POW Camp, for only one dollar from the federal government. Lowman once said "I had rather be president of Sam Houston State than president of the United States."

Lowman married Marguerite Hightower on April 6, 1918.

The Lowman Student Center, started and almost completed during his tenure, was named in his honor.