Necrology
Kenneth John Blume '70
Aug. 5, 1948-Apr. 9, 2021
Kenneth John Blume ’70, died in Altamont, N.Y., a village northwest of Albany, on April 9, 2021. Born in Brooklyn on Aug. 5, 1948, he came to Hamilton from Lafayette High School.
A history and English major, Blume embraced opportunities to cultivate skills in research, writing, and public speaking, which might be termed the “core curriculum” of the College. Judging by his later accomplishments, it is clear that not only that curriculum, but those who taught it, became models for his life as an academician.
Blume distinguished himself in part by being the owner of not one, but over time two Citroën automobiles with their justly fabled hydro-pneumatic suspension (when the engine was turned off, the car’s body suddenly descended about six inches … momentarily startling). He made lifelong friends of faculty and fellow students, took advantage of the College’s cultural events: concerts, theatre productions, and art exhibits, and when home in New York would take friends from the Hill to the Algonquin Hotel in Manhattan. During his Hamilton years, he found summer employment at Moore and Shley Securities Corporation.
From Hamilton, Blume proceeded to graduate studies at Saint John University where he earned a master’s degree in 1980. From there he went to Binghamton University, where he earned a doctorate in history. His dissertation situated the diplomatic history of the United States during the Civil War within the larger context of American foreign relations during the 19th century.
In 1988, he began what would prove to be a 31-year career at the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Hired as an assistant professor, he was promoted and tenured as associate professor in 1995 and was appointed professor of history and humanities in 2002. For nine years he chaired the department of history and communication, which provided him the opportunity to mentor numerous colleagues. He retired in 2019 at the rank of professor emeritus.
It is clear from a survey of his professional accomplishments, that Professor Blume channeled his Hamilton experience into his teaching. At an institution dedicated to the training of students to become health care professionals, one might expect the study of history and literature to be regarded as comparatively marginal to the mission of the institution, fulfilling an expectation of the institution’s accreditation agency but not something that otherwise was to be taken particularly seriously by faculty or students. Demonstrably, Blume had other ideas.
Clearly, he was devoted to humanistic inquiry in literature, history, and allied subjects. He developed or revised 29 courses, oversaw the revision of others, and strengthened the department of which he was a member and which he chaired. He was a dedicated advisor to numerous students, many of whom remained in contact following graduation. It was noted at his retirement that he had interacted productively with more than 5,000 students. His scholarly career continued right up to the time of his death.
A faculty member at any institution of higher education is expected to engage in the search for new understanding of that part of the universe that her/his discipline embraces. By the end of his career, Blume had published four monographs, 50 journal articles and encyclopedia entries, 45 review essays, and had presented 29 conference papers.
Teaching and research are two of the components of an academic career. The other is service. His service at the college included over a dozen faculty, administrator, and staff search committees; membership on all the major college committees, many of which he chaired; and advisor to student organizations including the Alpha Theta Chapter of the professional pharmacy fraternity, Phi Delta Chi.
Ken enjoyed attending summer performances at Glimmerglass Opera, cooking for friends, doting on his cats, and listening to classical music. He enjoyed rural life in Altamont and especially liked hearing the spring peepers and pileated woodpeckers usher in spring.
Taken as a whole, his academic accomplishments over several decades call to mind the qualities Geoffrey Chaucer attributed to the Clark in the Prologue to The Canterbury Tales: “And gladly would he learn and gladly teach.” It was the faculty and students of Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences who were the beneficiaries of his dedication.
Blume is survived by his sister and numerous cousins, including Ann Mores ’93.
