Richard Barrett Lowe

{{Short description|American Governor of Guam (1902–1972)}} {{Other people|Richard Lowe}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Richard Barrett Lowe | honorific_suffix = | image = Richard Barrett Lowe.jpg | order = 3rd | office = Governor of Guam | term_start = {{Start date|1956|10|15}} | term_end = {{end date|1959|11|14}} | appointer = [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] | predecessor = [[Ford Quint Elvidge]] [[William Corbett (politician)|William Corbett]] (acting) | successor = [[Marcellus Boss]] (acting) [[Joseph Flores (Guamanian politician)|Joseph Flores]] | office2 = [[Governor of American Samoa]] | term_start2 = October 1, 1953 | term_end2 = October 15, 1956 | lieutenant2 =  | predecessor2 = [[Lawrence M. Judd]] | successor2 = [[Peter Tali Coleman]] | birth_date = {{birth date|1902|07|08}} | birth_place = [[Madison, South Dakota]], U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|1972|4|16|1902|7|8}} | death_place = [[Alexandria, Virginia]], U.S. | party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] | alma_mater = Eastern State Teacher's College, [[University of South Dakota]] | occupation = Educator, Politician | spouse = [[Emma Louise Lowe]]  | nickname = | allegiance = {{flag|United States}} | branch = {{nowrap|[[File:United States Department of the Navy Seal.svg|30px|United States Navy Seal]]}} [[United States Navy]] | service_years = | rank = [[File:US-O5 insignia.svg|20px]] [[Commander (United States)|Commander]] | unit = | commands = [[V-12 Navy College Training Program]] at the [[University of Nebraska–Lincoln|University of Nebraska]] and Creighton University | battles = | awards = }}

'''Richard Barrett Lowe''' (July 8, 1902 – April 16, 1972) was the [[List of governors of American Samoa|governor]] (and fifth appointed civil governor)<ref name=Dakota>Dakota State University (2004).</ref> of [[American Samoa]] (October 1, 1953 – October 15, 1956) and the eighth American [[List of Governors of Guam|governor]] (and third civilian governor)<ref>Wuerch and Ballendorf (1994), 44.</ref> of [[Guam]] (October 15, 1956 – November 14, 1959). He was also a prominent educator and United Nations observer.

==Early life and education== Lowe was born on July 8, 1902, in [[Madison, South Dakota]], the youngest of three children. Lowe graduated from Madison High School, and studied at the [[University of Wisconsin]] for one year before transferring to the [[Normal school]] at [[Dakota State University|Eastern State Teacher's College]], where he graduated in 1929. During his senior year, he wrote the premise for and directed the film ''Dacotah'', believed to be the first full-length motion picture filmed entirely on a college campus.<ref name=Dakota/> Lowe later received his [[master's degree]] from the [[University of South Dakota]]; he received an [[Honorary degree|honorary]] [[Doctor of Education]] from [[Ottawa University]] in 1942.<ref name=Dakota/>

==Career== Following his graduation from Eastern State, Lowe served as an educator and superintendent in various places in South Dakota, eventually becoming president of the South Dakota Education Association.<ref>National Education Association (1962), 5.</ref> In February 1946, Lowe became the [[Dean (education)|dean]] of the [[Peru State College|Nebraska State Teachers College]] in [[Peru, Nebraska]].<ref name=Dakota/> While helping with a Naval Reserves recruiting drive, Lowe convinced those in charge to emphasize the importance of education by using the slogan "Stay in School". Lowe was offered the office of Director of Education, first of American Samoa, and later of Guam in the 1950s, but turned down both positions in hopes of obtaining a governorship.<ref name=Dakota/>

After his governorships, Lowe became the [[United Nations General Assembly observers|United Nations observer]] for the [[National Education Association]] in 1964.<ref>The Nation's Schools (1963), 114.</ref>

==Military service== During [[World War II]], Lowe served in the [[United States Navy]] as the [[commanding officer]] of the [[V-12 Navy College Training Program]] at the [[University of Nebraska–Lincoln|University of Nebraska]] and [[Creighton University]].<ref name=Dakota/> He also served as an officer on [[Tinian]], Guam, and [[Okinawa Island]]. In 1947, Lowe assisted in a recruitment drive for the [[United States Navy Reserve]], where he convinced the Navy Recruiting Office to adopt the slogan "Stay in School".<ref name=Dakota/>

==Governorship== For a little less than two weeks in 1953, Lowe was the Governor of two territories simultaneously, the only time this has happened in the 20th century.

===American Samoa (1953–1956)=== Lowe became governor of American Samoa in 1953. While governor, he helped foster the tuna canning industry, now one of American Samoa's primary sources of employment.<ref>Van Cleve (1974), 66.</ref> Lowe was appointed Governor of American Samoa in 1953 when the Department of the Interior (DOI) sought an experienced and healthy individual willing to remain in the territory for at least five years. The DOI had previously appointed four governors over the past two years and desired more stability. Lowe, from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, traveled to Washington, D.C., to study all the files about American Samoa and interview officials he would be working with. His thorough preparation and commitment to helping the locals pleased the local leadership upon his arrival. Lowe presented a plan to the American Samoa Legislature aimed at fostering cooperation, which would lead to greater understanding and eventually to more local self-government. This plan included appointing a Fono liaison officer, John C. Cool, and relocating certain legislative committees to the Executive Building to facilitate closer collaboration with the Governor. After two months, Lowe reported to the DOI that things were in good order. Before becoming [[Governor of Guam]] in 1956, he initiated the development of an [[Constitution of American Samoa|American Samoa Constitution]] by appointing a Constitutional Committee.<ref>Sunia, Fofō Iosefa Fiti (2001). ''Puputoa: Host of Heroes - A record of the history makers in the First Century of American Samoa, 1900-2000''. Suva, Fiji: Oceania Printers. Pages 76-77. ISBN 9829036022.</ref>

===Guam (1956–1960)=== [[Ford Quint Elvidge]] resigned the governorship in 1956, and [[President of the United States|President]] [[Dwight Eisenhower]] appointed Lowe to the governorship.<ref name=Cunningham>Cunningham and Beaty (2001), 298.</ref> While governor, Lowe appointed many [[Chamorro people|Chamorros]] to high public office, including the appointment of [[Manuel Flores Leon Guerrero]] as Assistant [[Secretary of Guam]].<ref name=Cunningham/> Upon Lowe's resignation in 1960, Eisenhower appointed [[Joseph Flores (Guamanian politician)|Joseph Flores]], the first Chamorro Governor of the island, as Lowe's replacement.<ref>The Virgin Islands Daily News (1960), 1.</ref>

=== House Restoration === After retiring from politics, Lowe began restoring houses in the [[Washington, D.C.]], area, including the [[George Washington]] Town House in [[Alexandria, Virginia]]. Rebuilt in 1960, Lowe used bricks and stones from an excavation of the house and erected the structure on the original foundation.<ref>ACVA (2009).</ref>

== Personal life == Lowe died in [[Alexandria, Virginia|Alexandria]], [[Virginia]], on April 16, 1972, at the age of 69. He is buried at Graceland Cemetery in [[Madison, South Dakota]].

==Bibliography== *Papers, 1936–70. *''Problems in Paradise : The View from Government House''. New York: Pageant Press. 1967.<ref>National Library of Australia (2009).</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Refbegin}} *{{cite web|url=http://visitalexandriava.com/attractions-activites/tour-the-town/george-washington-walking-tour/|title=George Washington Walking Tour|last=Alexandria Convention and Visitors Center|year=2009|access-date=5 August 2009}} *{{cite book|last=Cunningham|first=Lawrence|author2=Janice Beaty|title=A History of Guam|publisher=[[Bess Press]]|year=2001|isbn=1-57306-068-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZsZP537hdbIC|access-date=4 August 2009}} *{{cite web|url=http://americansamoa.gov/governors/lowe.htm|title=Richard Barrett Lowe|last=Dakota State University|author-link=Dakota State University|year=2004|publisher=[[American Samoa]]|access-date=31 July 2009|archive-date=1 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090601193707/http://americansamoa.gov/governors/lowe.htm|url-status=dead}} *{{cite book|title=The Nation's Schools|publisher=[[McGraw Hill]]|year=1963|edition=71}} *{{cite book|last=National Education Association|author-link=National Education Association|title=Today's Education|publisher=National Education Association of the United States|year=1962|volume=51}} *{{cite news |title=President Names Flores New Governor of Guam |date=15 June 1960 |work=[[The Virgin Islands Daily News]] }} *{{cite web|url=http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/3966075|title=Problems in paradise : the view from Government House / by Richard Barrett Lowe; with a foreword by Wayne N. Aspinall|year=2009|work=Catalogue|publisher=[[National Library of Australia]]|access-date=4 August 2009}} *{{cite book|last=Van Cleve|first=Ruth|title=The Office of Territorial Affairs|publisher=[[Greenwood Publishing Group|Praeger Publishing]]|year=1974}} *{{cite book|last=Wuerch|first=William|author2=Dirk Anthony Ballendorf|author-link2=Dirk Ballendorf|title=Historical dictionary of Guam and Micronesia|publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]]|location=[[Lanham, Maryland|Lanham]]|year=1994|isbn=0-8108-2858-8|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h5EE-AVNT98C|access-date=5 August 2009}} {{Refend}}

== External links == *{{Find a Grave|52493811}}

{{s-start}} {{s-gov}} {{succession box | before=[[Lawrence M. Judd]] | title=[[List of governors of American Samoa|Governor of American Samoa]] | years=1953–1956 | after=[[Peter Tali Coleman]]}} {{succession box | before=[[William Corbett (politician)|William Corbett]] ''(Acting)'' | title=[[List of Guam Governors|Governor of Guam]] | years=1956–1959 | after=[[Marcellus G. Boss]] ''(Acting)''}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lowe, Richard Barrett}} [[Category:Governors of Guam]] [[Category:Governors of American Samoa]] [[Category:1902 births]] [[Category:1972 deaths]] [[Category:People from Madison, South Dakota]] [[Category:University of South Dakota alumni]] [[Category:United States Navy personnel of World War II]] [[Category:United States Navy officers]] [[Category:Military personnel from South Dakota]] [[Category:20th-century American educators]] [[Category:American Samoa Republicans]] [[Category:Guamanian Republicans]] [[Category:Dakota State University alumni]] [[Category:University of Nebraska–Lincoln faculty]]