430BAE02-C015-35B5-B99F0C6A56424FE3
4ECF0E2F-A440-70BC-9C8E24B617A0EA74

Scholarships

The Charles Lafayette and Clare D. Todd Scholarship Fund

The Charles Lafayette and Clare D. Todd Scholarship was established by Clare D. and Charles Lafayette Todd.  Mr. Todd, a member of the Class of 1933, taught public speaking at Hamilton from 1959 to 1977.  During most of his tenure, he held the title of Upson Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory.


Charles Lafayette Todd, known as “Lafe,” came to Hamilton as a member of the Class of 1933 from Dunkirk, NY. On campus, he joined the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity and was a contributor to the Hamilton Literary Magazine. Following graduation, he went on to earn an M.A. in English at Columbia University, followed by a Ph.D. earned concurrently with teaching speech at City College of New York. In 1938, he returned to his hometown where he founded a short-lived weekly newspaper. Developing an interest in Depression-era “Okie” migrants and their folk music, he visited their California farm labor camp and published several articles focused on Okie folk ballads. In 1940-41, Lafe returned to the camp under commission from the Library of Congress to record the Okie music, which became an invaluable addition to the Library’s collection.

In 1942, Lafe was drafted into the U.S. Army and was assigned to public relations. Discharged from the Army as a captain at the war’s end, he went on to become national publicity director for an agency dedicated to the rebuilding of France. He was employed by the State Department and the United States Information Agency, before forming his own public relations firm, the International Advisory Council, in 1957.

In 1959, at the urging of then College President Robert McEwen, he returned to his alma mater to teach public speaking. During most of his tenure, which spanned 1959 to 1977, he held the title of Upson Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory. During his time on the Hill, he is credited with having guided the College’s public speaking program into the modern age—focusing less on presentation and more on effective communication.

February 2016

 


Please note: The named scholarships profiled on these pages are awarded as part of the College’s need-based financial aid packages. These funds help ensure the Hamilton Promise of keeping education affordable through meeting a student’s full demonstrated financial need.

Materials published here were diligently researched and written by students who strived for historical accuracy.

Help us provide an accessible education, offer innovative resources and programs, and foster intellectual exploration.

Site Search