# Richard Barrett Lowe

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American Governor of Guam (1902–1972)

For other people named Richard Lowe, see [Richard Lowe (disambiguation)](/source/Richard_Lowe_(disambiguation)).

Richard Barrett Lowe 3rd Governor of Guam In office October 15, 1956 (1956-10-15) – November 14, 1959 (1959-11-14) Appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower Preceded by Ford Quint Elvidge William Corbett (acting) Succeeded by Marcellus Boss (acting) Joseph Flores Governor of American Samoa In office October 1, 1953 – October 15, 1956 Preceded by Lawrence M. Judd Succeeded by Peter Tali Coleman Personal details Born (1902-07-08)July 8, 1902 Madison, South Dakota, U.S. Died April 16, 1972(1972-04-16) (aged 69) Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. Party Republican Spouse Emma Louise Lowe Alma mater Eastern State Teacher's College, University of South Dakota Occupation Educator, Politician Military service Allegiance United States Branch/service United States Navy Rank Commander Commands V-12 Navy College Training Program at the University of Nebraska and Creighton University

**Richard Barrett Lowe** (July 8, 1902 – April 16, 1972) was the [governor](/source/List_of_governors_of_American_Samoa) (and fifth appointed civil governor)[1] of [American Samoa](/source/American_Samoa) (October 1, 1953 – October 15, 1956) and the eighth American [governor](/source/List_of_Governors_of_Guam) (and third civilian governor)[2] of [Guam](/source/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](/source/Madison%2C_South_Dakota), the youngest of three children. Lowe graduated from Madison High School, and studied at the [University of Wisconsin](/source/University_of_Wisconsin) for one year before transferring to the [Normal school](/source/Normal_school) at [Eastern State Teacher's College](/source/Dakota_State_University), 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.[1] Lowe later received his [master's degree](/source/Master's_degree) from the [University of South Dakota](/source/University_of_South_Dakota); he received an [honorary](/source/Honorary_degree) [Doctor of Education](/source/Doctor_of_Education) from [Ottawa University](/source/Ottawa_University) in 1942.[1]

## 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.[3] In February 1946, Lowe became the [dean](/source/Dean_(education)) of the [Nebraska State Teachers College](/source/Peru_State_College) in [Peru, Nebraska](/source/Peru%2C_Nebraska).[1] 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.[1]

After his governorships, Lowe became the [United Nations observer](/source/United_Nations_General_Assembly_observers) for the [National Education Association](/source/National_Education_Association) in 1964.[4]

## Military service

During [World War II](/source/World_War_II), Lowe served in the [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy) as the [commanding officer](/source/Commanding_officer) of the [V-12 Navy College Training Program](/source/V-12_Navy_College_Training_Program) at the [University of Nebraska](/source/University_of_Nebraska%E2%80%93Lincoln) and [Creighton University](/source/Creighton_University).[1] He also served as an officer on [Tinian](/source/Tinian), Guam, and [Okinawa Island](/source/Okinawa_Island). In 1947, Lowe assisted in a recruitment drive for the [United States Navy Reserve](/source/United_States_Navy_Reserve), where he convinced the Navy Recruiting Office to adopt the slogan "Stay in School".[1]

## 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.[5] 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](/source/Governor_of_Guam) in 1956, he initiated the development of an [American Samoa Constitution](/source/Constitution_of_American_Samoa) by appointing a Constitutional Committee.[6]

### Guam (1956–1960)

[Ford Quint Elvidge](/source/Ford_Quint_Elvidge) resigned the governorship in 1956, and [President](/source/President_of_the_United_States) [Dwight Eisenhower](/source/Dwight_Eisenhower) appointed Lowe to the governorship.[7] While governor, Lowe appointed many [Chamorros](/source/Chamorro_people) to high public office, including the appointment of [Manuel Flores Leon Guerrero](/source/Manuel_Flores_Leon_Guerrero) as Assistant [Secretary of Guam](/source/Secretary_of_Guam).[7] Upon Lowe's resignation in 1960, Eisenhower appointed [Joseph Flores](/source/Joseph_Flores_(Guamanian_politician)), the first Chamorro Governor of the island, as Lowe's replacement.[8]

### House Restoration

After retiring from politics, Lowe began restoring houses in the [Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.), area, including the [George Washington](/source/George_Washington) Town House in [Alexandria, Virginia](/source/Alexandria%2C_Virginia). Rebuilt in 1960, Lowe used bricks and stones from an excavation of the house and erected the structure on the original foundation.[9]

## Personal life

Lowe died in [Alexandria](/source/Alexandria%2C_Virginia), [Virginia](/source/Virginia), on April 16, 1972, at the age of 69. He is buried at Graceland Cemetery in [Madison, South Dakota](/source/Madison%2C_South_Dakota).

## Bibliography

- Papers, 1936–70.

- *Problems in Paradise : The View from Government House*. New York: Pageant Press. 1967.[10]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Dakota_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Dakota_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Dakota_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Dakota_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Dakota_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Dakota_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-Dakota_1-6) Dakota State University (2004).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Wuerch and Ballendorf (1994), 44.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** National Education Association (1962), 5.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** The Nation's Schools (1963), 114.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Van Cleve (1974), 66.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** 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.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Cunningham_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Cunningham_7-1) Cunningham and Beaty (2001), 298.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** The Virgin Islands Daily News (1960), 1.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ACVA (2009).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** National Library of Australia (2009).

- Alexandria Convention and Visitors Center (2009). ["George Washington Walking Tour"](http://visitalexandriava.com/attractions-activites/tour-the-town/george-washington-walking-tour/). Retrieved 5 August 2009.

- Cunningham, Lawrence; Janice Beaty (2001). [*A History of Guam*](https://books.google.com/books?id=ZsZP537hdbIC). [Bess Press](/source/Bess_Press). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-57306-068-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-57306-068-2). Retrieved 4 August 2009.

- [Dakota State University](/source/Dakota_State_University) (2004). ["Richard Barrett Lowe"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090601193707/http://americansamoa.gov/governors/lowe.htm). [American Samoa](/source/American_Samoa). Archived from [the original](http://americansamoa.gov/governors/lowe.htm) on 1 June 2009. Retrieved 31 July 2009.

- *The Nation's Schools* (71 ed.). [McGraw Hill](/source/McGraw_Hill). 1963.

- [National Education Association](/source/National_Education_Association) (1962). *Today's Education*. Vol. 51. National Education Association of the United States.

- "President Names Flores New Governor of Guam". *[The Virgin Islands Daily News](/source/The_Virgin_Islands_Daily_News)*. 15 June 1960.

- ["Problems in paradise : the view from Government House / by Richard Barrett Lowe; with a foreword by Wayne N. Aspinall"](http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/3966075). *Catalogue*. [National Library of Australia](/source/National_Library_of_Australia). 2009. Retrieved 4 August 2009.

- Van Cleve, Ruth (1974). *The Office of Territorial Affairs*. [Praeger Publishing](/source/Greenwood_Publishing_Group).

- Wuerch, William; [Dirk Anthony Ballendorf](/source/Dirk_Ballendorf) (1994). [*Historical dictionary of Guam and Micronesia*](https://books.google.com/books?id=h5EE-AVNT98C). [Lanham](/source/Lanham%2C_Maryland): [Rowman & Littlefield](/source/Rowman_%26_Littlefield). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-8108-2858-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-8108-2858-8). Retrieved 5 August 2009.

## External links

- [Richard Barrett Lowe](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52493811) at [Find a Grave](/source/Find_a_Grave)

Government offices Preceded by Lawrence M. Judd Governor of American Samoa 1953–1956 Succeeded by Peter Tali Coleman Preceded by William Corbett (Acting) Governor of Guam 1956–1959 Succeeded by Marcellus G. Boss (Acting)

v t e Governors of American Samoa Commandant (1900–1905) Tilley Sebree Minett Underwood Naval (1905–1951) Moore Parker Crose Post Stearns Post Woodruff Poyer Terhune Evans Pollock Kellogg Bryan Graham Lincoln Spore Emerson Lincoln Landenberger Latimore Dowling Fitzpatrick Milne Hanson Wallace Wild Larsen (alongside Wild) Moyer Hobbs Hungerford Canan Houser Huber Darden Civil (1951–1978) Phelps Elliott Ewing Judd Lowe Coleman Lee Aspinall Haydon Mockler Ruth Barnett Lee Elected (since 1978) Coleman Lutali Coleman Lutali Sunia Tulafono Moliga Mauga Pula

v t e Governors of Guam Commissioner (1898–1899) Glass Martínez Sisto Roberto Sisto Taussig Pérez Coe Kaiser Naval (1899–1941) Leary Schroeder Swift Schroeder Sewell Schofield Stone Dyer McNamee Potts McNamee Dorn Freyer Salisbury Coontz Hinds Maxwell Cronan Simpson Smith Gilmer Hodgman Gilmer Wettengel Spore Althouse Miller Althouse Price Brown Shapley Bradley Root G. Alexander McCandlish J. Alexander McMillin Military (1944–1949) Geiger Larsen Pownall Civilian (1949–1969) Skinner Herman Elvidge Corbett Lowe Boss Flores Daniel M. Guerrero C. Camacho Elected (since 1969) C. Camacho Bordallo P. Calvo Bordallo Ada Gutierrez F. Camacho E. Calvo L. Guerrero

Authority control databases International VIAF GND WorldCat National United States Other Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Richard Barrett Lowe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Barrett_Lowe) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Barrett_Lowe?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.