Celebrating 150 Years | Alumni Memories

Frank M. Sturtevant '48

In 1944-45, I served as managing editor of the Stentor, a continuation of my journey into journalism from Highland Park High School. In 1945 I was drafted and sent to occupied Germany because I spoke German (a confession that could have had me sent to caves in the South Pacific to rout out Japanese who didn't know the war was over).

In going through the replacement depot in Bamberg, Germany, someone came through asking who had journalism experience. I promptly volunteered (a bad practice in the Army). Nevertheless, I was given the task of replacing a weekly mimeographed publication of the 10th Special Services Company with what came to be Take Ten, a 10-page Army newspaper complete with many local photographs. I named myself managing editor and my reportorial staff consisted of all Privates. This seemed to embarrass our officers and they promptly promoted everyone to Pfcs. or Tech/5s. The work at the printing presses was done by Bavarians, whose dialects had to be translated into high German for me, to which I responded back to the translators. It was slow but effective. Though we had no permission from Washington to publish an "official army newspaper," (they already had Stars and Stripes), the Pentagon asked to be placed on our mailing list. I included many cartoons, articles, etc., disregarding copyrights, but never got into trouble for doing so. I composed a weekly crossword puzzle and a feature titled In the Niche.
 
The unit was eventually disbanded when all combat veterans had been processed to return home. I then had an opportunity to apply to Soldier Shows. One of the Garrick plays in which I had appeared was seen by an MGM talent scout, who invited Dottie Jansen and me to do a screen test. After our audition, I was asked about my draft status. I replied I was being inducted in two weeks! They said, "Come back after the war and we'll see what we can do." This was a typical response because at that time, male actors were in very short supply. However, I saved the telegram from MGM and used it to get into Soldier Shows. Fortunately I was cast in the road company of The Doughgirls, directed by Arthur Penn, who later got an Academy Award for directing Bonnie and Clyde plus two Tonys for Broadway shows.
 
Under later Army Regulations, I was later discharged because I had been drafted out of a pre-med program at Lake Forest College, to which I returned and eventually got a PhD at Northwestern and pursued a career in pharmacological research in the pharmaceutical industry. My theatrical experience was valuable when I was called upon to be the company's expert witness. I also did many little theater productions as actor or director. My writing experience was helpful in writing and publishing some 125 scientific papers.
 
Thus, through a period of stress for the country, I was able to enter some occupations thanks to my experience at Lake Forest College and the U.S. Army that served me well in later life. I took early retirement in 1990 and now live the easy life with my wife Professor Patty (N.U.; Arkansas Medical School), where we do volunteer work as naturalists at our local aquarium, botanical gardens, and the University of South Florida.