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Paul H. Appleby, journalist, public servant, and educator was born on a farm in Greene County, Missouri in 1891. The son of a minister, his family moved frequently, living in Missouri, Kansas, and Iowa. He attended high school in Newton, Iowa and graduated from Grinnell College in 1913. While at Grinnell, he met his wife Ruth (class of 1913). After graduating from Grinnell College, Paul H. Appleby went to the state of Washington and worked on a fruit farm for a short time. He then went on to publish weekly newspapers in Montana, Minnesota, and Iowa. Paul was the editor of Iowa Magazine in Waterloo from 1920 to 1924. The four years following that saw him as an editorial writer for the Des Moines Register and Tribune. In 1928 he moved to Virginia and published the News-Journal in Radford and the News Messenger in Christiansburg. In 1933, Paul H. Appleby became Assistant to the Secretary of Agriculture, Henry A. Wallace. By 1940 he was the Undersecretary of Agriculture and in 1944 he became Assistant Director of the Budget for the United States. He left Washington DC to work for the radio station KIRO, returned to Washington DC and left again, this time to become the dean of Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. He made several trips to India as a consultant with the Ford Foundation and in 1955 returned to political life by serving as Budget Director for the State of New York. He retired in 1957, but remained active in his role as a consultant to India and published several articles. 

Paul and Ruth Appleby had three children and they also all attended Grinnell College: Margaret Matilda Appleby, class of 1939, Mary Ellen Appleby class of 1942 (married John E. Sarbaugh, class of 1941) and Loring Thomas Appleby class of 1949 (married Doris Lucille Chambers, class of 1952). Loring and Doris’s son, Paul Harry Appleby, graduated from Grinnell College in 1974.

Many of Paul’s siblings also attended Grinnell—Erma Appleby graduated in 1908, Frank B. Appleby graduated in 1916 (married Jerene C. Reaver ex-1916) and Velma Appleby graduated in 1922. One other sister, Una Appleby Stewart was three years older than Paul and went to Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri, but was an Instructor in Speech at Grinnell College during 1919-1921. Please also see the family tree at the end of this finding aid.

Paul F. Peck (Class of 1897) was the Parker Professor of History at Grinnell College from 1905 until his sudden death in 1925. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and during World War I served in the Red Cross. He was married to Grace Parsons (Class of 1898).

Beginning in 1948, John and Pioneer athletics were synonymous. He coached in virtually every sport during a 50-year career and even in retirement directed the men's soccer program and his beloved Pfitsch's Pfishes. In addition to many seasons, records, and championships in basketball and soccer John also was justifiably proud of his role in instituting women's sports during his long tenure as athletic director.

After graduating from the University of Texas Pfitsch earned his M.A. in physical education and assisted famous Coach Phog Allen at the University of Kansas before and after service in World War II. At Grinnell he helped obtain a $2.2 million federal loan and headed the planning committee for construction of the former Physical Education Complex, where the fieldhouse was named in his honor.

Beta Chapter of Iowa at Grinnell College was chartered in 1907.