For 37 years, until his retirement in 1963, Shober Barr servedFranklin & Marshall College as a teacher, coach, director ofadmissions, dean of freshman, chairman of the department ofphysical education and athletics and director of athletics. Hiscareer was distinctive in not only his contributions to hiscollege, but also to the many regional and national athleticassociations he was affiliated with and to which he contributedsignificantly. He won friends everywhere he went for his adherenceto a high code of sportsmanship, manly conduct, cheerfulness andthoughtfulness. He was a leader in the concept, planning, fundraising and construction of F&M's Mayser Center, completed in1963 on the eve of his retirement and named for his long-standingfriend and colleague, "Uncle Charlie" Mayser.
A native of Lancaster, Shober Barr earned his B.A. degree fromFranklin & Marshall in 1924. Eight years later, in 1932, hereceived a master's degree from Columbia University. For tow yearsfollowing his graduation from F&M, he taught and coached atHarrisburg (PA) Academy. He returned to his Alma Mater in 1926 as afreshman coach with the inauguration of the Freshman Rule ofEligibility in intercollegiate athletics. From 1930 to 1942, he wasvarsity football line coach and varsity basketball coach, as wellas director of intramural athletics and an instructor of physicaleducation. During the next decade, 1942-1949, he served as Dean ofFreshman and Director of Admissions. Shober returned to hisinterests in athletics in 1949 when he was named F&M?s Directorof Athletics and professor of physical education, positions heserved well until his retirement.
Beyond F&M's campus, he was a member of the NCAA TelevisionCommittee, 1952-55; vice president, at-large, of the NCAA, 1954-56;member of the NCAA College Committee and NCAA College DivisionBasketball Tournament Committee. He was also a director of the ECACboard of directors and served on many ECAC committees. He served aspresident of the Middle Atlantic States Collegiate AthleticConference (MAC) in 1956-57. Shober Barr was elected to the HelmsHall of Fame in 1970. In 1957-58, while on sabbatical leave fromF&M, he served as advisor to the Minister of Education on TheRoyal Afghan government under the sponsorship of The AsianFoundation of San Francisco. When Shober was named to headF&M's athletic department in 1949, the late George Kirchner ofthe Lancaster New Era wrote, "When you consider the scope of theathletic program, both intercollegiate and intramural, in ourcolleges today you know that it requires a real leader to directit.
With his vast experience, plus his familiarity with the entirecollege picture, to say nothing of the esteem in which he is heldby students, alumni, rivals and friends of the college, Shober wasthe logical choice to take over. In fact, Franklin & Marshallcan consider itself fortunate in having available such a fineleader, for it could have searched far and wide before finding aman more suitable to take the post. I feel confident that underBarr's leadership, athletics at the local college will continue toflourish and that the college will make more friends and cementprevious friendships more firmly than ever a goal at which sports,as a whole, are aimed."
