Silas H Rhodes was an American educator and co-founder of a trade school for illustrators and cartoonists that eventually became the School of Visual Arts, one of the premier US colleges for art and design.
17 Facts About Silas Rhodes
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Silas Rhodes's mother ran a failed wholesale egg business and his father worked for the US Post Office as a postal clerk.
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Silas Rhodes employed both of his parents in the administrative departments of the School of Visual Arts later in his life.
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Silas Rhodes continued his education and obtained a master's degree from Columbia University.
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Silas Rhodes originally intended to become an English teacher, not a cartoonist.
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Silas Rhodes enlisted in the US Army following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
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Silas Rhodes flew several missions with the Army's 1st Air Commando Group in China, Burma and India.
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Silas Rhodes obtained a job with the Veterans Administration after World War II.
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Silas Rhodes helped to craft a curriculum that emphasized a liberal arts education with humanities courses, as well as the traditional studio arts classes.
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Silas Rhodes served as president of the School of Visual Arts for six years.
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Silas Rhodes successfully persuaded the New York State Board of Regents to allow the school to confer a bachelor's degree in fine arts in the 1970s.
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Silas Rhodes served as the creative director for one of the signature public projects of the School of Visual Arts.
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Silas Rhodes helped advise and create posters designed by the school's faculty which have been displayed on the New York City Subway system for over 50 years.
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Silas Rhodes remained active at the school as the chairman of the board of directors up until his death in 2007.
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Silas Rhodes died in his sleep at age 91 on June 27,2007, at his home in Katonah, New York.
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Silas Rhodes had spent the entire day working in his office.
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David Rhodes currently serves as president of the School of Visual Arts, while Anthony P Rhodes serves as executive vice president.