Ilion High School - Class of 1925

Herkimer Evening Telegram - November 12, 1966

Dr. Angell, Ex-Ilion Man Receives Award

Article 8

Dr. Angell, Ex-Ilion Man Receives Award

ILION - Dr. Warren M. Angell, son of Mrs. Earl Angell, 42 Seventh Ave. and the late Earl Angell, dean of the College of Fine Arts at Oklahoma Baptist University, was one of two men honored by the Shawnee, Okla., News-Star in a special "OBU Homecoming" edition Nov. 4.

The 16-page section, highly, illustrated, marked the 30th anniversary of Dean Angell's affiliation with OBU and the inauguration of Dr. Grady C. Cothen as president.

The issue was sent to some 4,000 alumni across the nation and featured on the front page a quarter page picture of the former Ilionite, with a story about him headed "The Angell Anniversary."

He was a member of the Ilion Volunteer Department Co. 1. past president of the Community Club and a member of the Little Theatre Club, the Ilion Elks Lodge, the Optometric Association and president of the Balsam Flatts Hunting Club. He had been chairman of the American Red Cross during World War II.

Dr. Angell is a brother of Dr. George W. Angell, president of Plattsburgh State College of Education who was chosen last February to head a regional task force to obtain federal aid for nine Northern New York counties. He and his brother graduated from Ilion High School.

Dr. Warren Angell received both his bachelor and master degrees in music from Syracuse University, obtaining a doctorate in education from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Several pages of the special OBU edition are devoted to articles and pictures of Dr. Angell, one depicting "Dean Warren M. Angell - Man With a Goal," with pictures of him with his orchestra, "The Parisians" in 1928; at a piano in 1936 when he first went to OBU; as a member of the "Fallen Angells" quartet, and with the first USO group entertaining at Fort Sill.

"On a sunny, early summer day in 1936 a perky red Ford roadster pulled up in front of Memorial Hall at Oklahoma Baptist University," the front page article said. "Behind the wheel sat Warren M. Angell, the energetic young man who had just accepted the post of dean of fine arts."

"With him he brought his young wife, Evalyn, an impressive musical background with an astonishing array of talents, and a bubbly, irresistible love of life that has become the trademark of the college that now bears his name.

The article adds, in part, "Dr. Angell's mother probably hit upon the keynote of her son's personality in a letter she wrote him back in 1933: 'Same old boy', she commented fondly. 'Always exuberant over something, and that is a nature to be thankful for. You make people around you feel that there sure is a better time coming.'

Born in Brooklyn, he grew up in Ilion and, like his three brothers, always intended to be an engineer. His father was an architect and engineer, and all four boys learned to use the tools of his trade early.

"We all even had little drafting boards just like dad's," Dean Angell explained. But the elder Angell also was a musician. who took his orchestra through the surrounding Valley countryside to perform. The group gathered at the Angell home here and young Warren, who began playing the piano when seven, soon knew most of their music by heart.

This ability led to his first "professional playing, when he was about ten. The regular piano player was unable to make a date one night, and the leader's son filled in for him.

"I remember that we went out to the old cheese factory for my first performance with the orchestra," Dr. Angell recalls. "It was winter and we went out on a sleigh He continued playing with his father's group until 14 or 15 and the musical unions made him quit, since he was too young. He then started his own orchestra and began playing school events and other socials in the Mohawk Valley area.

Still determined to be an engineer, he graduated from Ilion High School in 1925. College life at Syracuse became a whirl of classes and concerts. The summer after his sophomore year, he went to Europe on a concert tour with a college orchestra, the boys playing for their fares aboard a Cunard liner.

Once in Europe they got a job in a Paris cafe. When they returned, Dr. Angell took over and renamed the group "The Parisians", soon becoming widely known on campuses.

Later he became a member of Fred Waring's Glee Club, singing tenor, and after tours of foreign lands obtained his master's degree, playing and singing with many large groups.

In 1933 tie Joined the faculty of Murray State Teachers College in Murray, Ky., heading the piano department. Later that year he moved to Shawnee with OBU. In 1956, the fine arts college was renamed — after him.