1965 - 1961 Recipients

Paul Uebele

Class Year: 1926
Outstanding Alumni Award Winner 1965

Paul Uebele earned a CLU degree from the American College of Life Underwriters. He was a member of the American Society of Chartered Life Underwriters and was president of the Chicago Agents Association. Uebele received the National Quality Award from the National Association of Life Underwriters. He was also active in the Naperville community as director of the Kiwanis Club of Naperville and chairman of the Naperville Boy Scouts finance drive. He was also chairman of North Central’s Building and Grounds Committee, National Chairman of the first annual Alumni Fund, president of the Alumni Association and a College trustee.

Clifford Wall

Class Year: 1922
Outstanding Alumni Award Winner 1965

Clifford Wall’s life was spent teaching and mentoring. He was a North Central College professor of physics from 1929-1941. In 1928, Wall earned an American Field Service Fellowship from the Institute of International Education and was the recipient of a $1,000 award from the Research Corporation for outstanding teacher of physics during a 10-year period. He was author of numerous articles on physics and was co-author, with R.B. Levine, of the “Physics Laboratory Manual.” He served as associate editor for the “American Journal of Physics” and was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation. In 1971, Wall became an honorary member of North Central’s Board of Trustees.

Reuben H. Miller

Class Year: 1919
Outstanding Alumni Award Winner 1964

United Methodist Bishop Reuben Mueller was a central figure in the 1968 union of the Evangelical United Brethren and Methodist churches. He was the author of numerous articles and books including Becoming A Christian, Motive in Christian Teaching and The Living World. In 1963, he served as president of the National Council of Churches. He retired in 1972 after more than 50 years of ministry. In 1975, Indiana Central College endowed a Chair of Religion and Philosophy in his name.

Harold Zahl

Class Year: 1927
Outstanding Alumni Award Winner 1964

Harold Zahl was a distinguished American physicist who was recognized as an inventor of scientific devices and processes. He was a top administrator in the Armed Forces research and development program, as well as an author of scientific articles and reviews. A pioneer in the field of radar in the 1930s, Zahl invented the infrared detector which led to the assignment of responsibility for detection of ground, sea and air targets to the Signal Corps. His invention of the pneumatic cell led to the development of the first Army radar and the acceptance of radar as a major means of military surveillance and an invaluable aid to navigation.

Harold W. Henning

Class Year: 1941
Outstanding Alumni Award Winner 1963

Hal Henning graduated, cum laude, from the Chicago College of Dental Surgery in 1949. He practiced dentistry in Naperville from 1949 to 1988, but swimming was his passion. As a student, Henning achieved All-American status in the freestyle and backstroke and established records in virtually all events en route to the 1940 Olympics. As a coach at North Central, he developed two world-class swimmers and one Olympic gold medalist. He later chaired the U.S. Olympic Swimming Committee.

Leona Brandes Yeager

Class Year: 1929
Outstanding Alumni Award Winner 1963

Dr. Leona Yeager served on the faculty of Northwestern Medical School and was an associate in medicine. By 1962, she was associate professor of medicine. She was on staff at Evanston Hospital, Cook County Hospital and St. Francis Hospital. She also held positions at Northwestern Medical School as laboratory technician in clinical pathology and in experimental medicine. Dr. Yeager was a member of several medical societies and was a frequent contributor to medical journals. In 1963, she was president-elect of the American College Heath Association and chairman of that association’s Committee on Standards.

Howard K. Bauernfeind

Class Year: 1921
Outstanding Alumni Award Winner 1962

Howard Bauernfeind was chairman of the board of J.B. Lippincott Publishing Company and vice president and director of the A.J. Holman Company. He was also director of Medical Science, Inc., and director of Medical Market Research, Inc. He served as superintendent of schools in Monmouth, Ill., from 1927-30 and Polo, Ill., from 1921-27. He received a master’s degree from the University of Chicago in 1929 and did additional graduate work in history. Bauernfeind also served as secretary, 1939-40, and president, 1942-44, for the Chicago Book Publishers Association.

Walter C. Bornemeier

Class Year: 1923
Outstanding Alumni Award Winner 1962

Dr. Walter Bornemeier was one of the last surgeons to be certified after going through a preceptorship program where a student learns surgery while working with a surgeon. During World War II, he served in the medical corps as a Major and Assistant Chief of Surgery of the 52nd Station Hospital in Naples, Italy.

He authored many publications and was a certified professional parliamentarian and director of the American Institute of Parliamentarians. He served on the Board of Education with Niles Township High School and the Board of Trustees of Skokie Valley YMCA.

Walter E. Rilling

Class Year: 1922
Outstanding Alumni Award Winner 1962

Walter Rilling was a charter member and the first president of the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials, served as a North Central College trustee, as well as steward and trustee of the First Evangelical United Brethren Church of Milwaukee, and president of the Lake Keesus Advancement Association. In 1959, Rilling was presented with the annual Milwaukee Junior Chamber of Commerce Good Government Award. In 1961, he was awarded a certificate of appreciation by the Milwaukee Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration.

Clarence Erffmeyer

Class Year: 1918
Outstanding Alumni Award Winner 1961

Clarence Erffmeyer served as professor of education and dean at North Central College for 41 years. He established the Office of Teacher Placement on campus in 1926. A well-respected faculty member, students dedicated the 1930 edition of the Spectrum in his honor. He was appointed Dean of the College in 1944 and served in that capacity until retirement in 1963. In 1979, he was awarded an honorary degree, doctor of education, by North Central College.

Gertrude Hildreth

Class Year: 1920
Outstanding Alumni Award Winner 1961

Gertrude Hildreth was a professor of education at Brooklyn College in New York. She received her master’s degree from the University of Illinois in 1921 and a Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1925. She was the author of many books, including “Child Growth Through Education,” “Educating Gifted Children,” “Learning the Three R’s,” “Better Schooling for Beginners” and “Teaching Reading, Metropolitan Achievement.” She also wrote approximately 200 articles and bulletins. Hildreth made a significant contribution in the field of educational psychology and child guidance and earned an international reputation for her work in education.