Former CMU president recognized as leaving everlasting mark on nineteenth century peace movement


When Central Michigan University professor Hope May researched the nineteenth century peace movement, she had no idea she would eventually find documents from a former CMU president that would be shipped and loaned to the Netherlands.

On Wednesday night in the Park Library Auditorium, May explained how former CMU president E.C. Warriner left an everlasting mark on the pre-World War I peace movement.

May, who teaches philosophy, was interested in the person who inspired the Nobel Peace Prize, Bertha Von Suttner, and while viewing some of her work she was led to the work of Warriner.

“I have read basically everything Von Suttner has written in English,” May said. “I was intrigued not because I had to do an assignment for a class, but because I was just curious about her.”

May worked with Clarke Historical Library Director Frank Boles to have the documents loaned to the Peace Palace Library in the Netherlands in order to be scanned into the Europeana 1914-1918 database. The Europeana 1914-1918 database aims to create a memory of World War 1 by collecting and digitizing memorabilia from the public.

May felt that it was important to have the story of the U.S. peace movement included in this public memory of World War 1, and she selected 6 of Warriner’s documents to tell that story.

Warriner established the Michigan Branch of the ‘American School Peace League’ in 1910. He was also the superintendent of the Saginaw Public Schools. He used his influence over children to teach them the “positive history” of America, emphasizing things like “Peace Day” to commemorate the first international court designed to end war - The Permanent Court of Arbitration.

May established a study abroad program that travels to The Netherlands to study the International Criminal Court and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Charlevoix senior Taylor Ackerman was a student in this program and in attendance Wednesday.

“Both summers were very paradigm shifting,” Ackerman said. “I learned about a whole different framework that exists, and there is a really big peace through law tradition (in the Netherlands).”

In a time where there is still war and conflict happening in the world daily, May hopes the presentation will provoke productive thoughts and conversation.

“This is about broadening our moral imagination,” May said. “We have inherited this project of creating a world that is more humane and peaceful, and we have a long way to go.”

Macomb sophomore Amanda Ray said she was enlightened by the presentation.

“I think that this presentation was important because I didn’t know a lot about who the buildings are named after,” Ray said. “It was interesting to learn about the history and seeing visuals of the documents.”

Some CMU students who attended the presentation were able to leave with a sense of pride, knowing that a person that presided over a school that they are attending had a positive impact on America. Ackerman had an interesting analogy to explain her respect for Warriner.

“It’s similar to how you feel when you watch the football or basketball team, even though you’re not playing you get so excited when they win,” Ackerman said. “We had this amazing president who understood the value of peace, and we have that legacy.”         

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