From the Cross & Crescent and The Sigman articles published in 1954 and 1969
He has exhibited unusual loyalty to chapters other than his owii, both at South Dakota and at Wittenberg, where he was High Pi and member of the alumni advisory board for a number of years.
Holder of A.B., A.M.. and Ph.D. degrees in education from University of Michigan, Dr. Van Why has had 40 years of experience in teaching, coaching, and the administration of health and physical education programs and in athletics. The first seven years were in high schools. Also, he was a guest professor in the Graduate School of University of Alabama in 1940-41.
His official title is chairman of the Department of Health and Physical Education at South Dakota. At Wittenberg he was director of athletics and physical education.
The list of Dr. Van Why's records and services is imposing, and listing of only a few of these gives some idea of the wide variety and importance of his work.
He was a civilian consultant to the Army Air Corps in World War H; was one of five physical fitness representatives of the U.S. government in 1944-45; was a member of the National Health Assembly called by President Truman in May, 1948; was a member of the 1954 Washington Conference for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation; and was a member of President Eisehhower's Youth Fitness Committee. In oOhio he was state physical fitness director in 1941-44 and the state's first recreation director.
He was president of both the Ohio College Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation and of the Ohio Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation in 1942-44 and of the Managers' Association of the Ohio Athletic Conference.
In the American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, he has held major chairmanships, regional presidencies, and other offices, and has been the recipient of the organization's Honor Award.
He has conducted weekly 30-minute television classes in his field for five consecutive years over two South Dakota stations and for a shorter period in Iowa.
Aside from that, he was commander-in-chief of civilian defense in Springfield, Ohio, in World War II; director of the European Youth Program sponsored by the Springfield Rotary Club; superintendent of the Fourth Lutheran Sunday School of Springfield for three years; executive secretary of the South Dakota High School Student Council Association in 1953-62; twice consultant to American Medical Association conventions; and chairman of the South Dakota Advisory Committ"e on Health and Physical Education.
Dr. Van Why was born August 16, 1902, in Stroudsburg, Pa.; married Miss Elizabeth L. Everitt December 31, 1924, in Stroudsburg; is the father of two sons, John B., II, member of the South Dakota chapter, and Robert W.; is of the Lutheran faith; and lives at 709 E. Main St. in Vermillion.
Dr. John Van Why, a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha Order of Merit, died December 12, 1969, at the age of 67. He had been faculty adviser of Alpha-Gamma at South Dakota since 1954 and was a leading force behind the movement that led to establishment of Lambda-Theta at South Dakota State. He was inducted into the Order of Merit in 1954.