Wednesday, September 20, 2023

MAYNARD HICKS wrote 'Hills of Pullman' column in the Pullman Herald: Former WSU journalism prof, dies at age 93 in Pullman



Maynard Hicks may have written his "Hills of Pullman" column in the Pullman Herald 
starting in 1937 and ending in 1977. 
Photos show "clippings" from March 13, 1958, and March 27, 1958, Pullman Herald.

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Maynard F. Hicks, , 93, former WSU journalism professor

  • May 9, 2000 Moscow Pullman Daily News

Maynard Frederick Hicks, 93, a Pullman resident, died Friday at Pullman Memorial Hospital in Pullman, Wash., of injuries received in an automobile accident.

He was born Jan. 12, 1907, to Clyde and Edna Mae Hicks at Silver Bow, Mont. He attended several schools, and graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in Michigan. He attended Central Michigan Normal School, now Central Michigan University, in Mount Pleasant. He graduated in 1926 with a journalism degree.

In 1929, he worked for Central Michigan Normal School, teaching journalism and advising student publications. He also handled public relations and sports publicity.

He earned a master's degree from the University of Michigan in 1936.

He married Desmond Jane "Demy" Bower on Dec. 22, 1931, at LaPorte, Ind. They moved to Pullman in 1937.

He worked as a journalism professor at Washington State University for 35 years. During World War II, he served as director of the Washington State University news bureau in addition to teaching.

In 1953-54, he divided his time between the Department of Journalism and the news bureau.

While at WSU, he had many titles, including assistant to the president and editor of university publications. During summer vacations, he worked with weekly and daily newspapers throughout the northwest. He wrote a column titled "Hills of Pullman" for the Pullman Herald weekly newspaper. He retired as a full professor in 1972.

He taught at Western Washington University in Bellingham and California State University at Fullerton before taking a position at California State University in Northridge. He returned to WSU in the late 1980s, and maintained an office in WSU's Murrow School.

At WSU, he taught journalism and advised WSU student publications, which prints The Daily Evergreen, the student newspaper, and the Chinook yearbook. He also advised the student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists Sigma Delta Chi.

In 1992, the "Maynard Hicks Room" in the WSU Murrow Communication Center was dedicated in his honor.

He had been a member of the Kiwanis Club for over 50 years. He was a member of the Pullman Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame. He was an avid Cougar fan, and received several awards, which included serving as statistician for several WSU intercollegiate sports, and the Wells Memorial Key, the highest honor the Society of Professional Journalists can confer on a member.

He is survived by his wife of Pullman; one daughter, Susan Jane Vitums of Eugene, Ore.; one son, John Maynard Hicks of Seattle; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Graveside services for family and friends will take place at Pullman Cemetery at a later date. A celebration of his life will be this summer in Pullman. Kimball Funeral Home of Pullman is in charge of arrangements.






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Pullman’s first commercial radio station, KOFE-AM/1150 was started in 1950 by Mr. and Mrs. Ron Bayton with Maynard Hicks and his wife, Demy, as silent partners. They sold the station in 1957. 

As this was posted in September 2023, KOFE calls are used by KOFE-AM/1240 radio in St. Marie’s, Idaho.

Information online shows that the letters of KOFE in Pullman were preceded by two other calls, KPMN and KBHK

KPMN (1950, CP*)

KBKH (1950–1953) “The Good Neighbor Station,” according to a letter signed by WSC grad J. Ronald Bayton, station manager/owner, on Jan. 21, 1952.

KOFE (1953–1967)

KPUL (1967–1977)

KNOI (1977–1983)

*CP, Construction Permit - Filling out Form 318 to apply for a LPFM frequency indicates applying for a Construction Permit. A CP is the document issued by the FCC granting permission to build a radio station. This means those issued a CP beat out other applicants competing for the available frequency. Once a station is ready to go on air you an Application to Cover a Construction Permit is a license to begin broadcasting.

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 "Maynard Hicks has charge of the radio station belonging to
Washington State College of Pullman, Washington.
He also teaches some classes in journalism."
Source: Central Michigan University "Centralight," June 1947,
Mount Pleasant, Mich. He graduated from the university in 1926 with a journalism degree.

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"Maynard F. Hicks: The News Bureau Years, 1942-1954" is documented in the files of WSU MASC/Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections. The documentation is dated Jan. 29, 1970.

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Oct 4 1951 Lewiston, Idaho, Morning Tribune 

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Jan., 31, 1978, "Daily Titan" student newspaper, Cal State Fullerton 
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WSU program set Aug. 6, 2000, to remember Maynard Hicks

By WSU News & Media Relations, July 25, 2000

 

PULLMAN, Wash. — Family and friends of Maynard Hicks have planned a program Sunday, Aug. 6, to celebrate the life of the long-time Washington State University faculty member, who died May 5.

The 3 p.m. public program is set for Compton Union Building’s Cascade Room.

He and his wife, Demy, moved to Pullman in 1937, where he worked as a WSU journalism professor for 35 years.

Hicks taught journalism courses and advised the office of Student Publications, which produces the Daily Evergreen, WSU’s student newspaper, and the Chinook yearbook. He also advised the student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, at that time known as Sigma Delta Chi. He had a long association with the society, dating back to the 1920s. He served as its national vice president for undergraduate affairs and a member of its national executive committee in 1959-60. During that time, he was a strong voice for a complete restructuring of the society, which was in dire straights. He was considered a major player in revitalizing and saving the organization.

After his WSU retirement, he taught at Western Washington University in Bellingham and California State University at Fullerton, before taking a position at California State University at Northridge, where he spent 13 years. In the late 1980s, the Hicks returned to Pullman and he maintained an office in WSU’s Edward R. Murrow School of Communication.

Hicks was active in the Kiwanis Club for more than 50 years and is a member of the Pullman Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame. He was a member of St. Episcopal Church in Pullman for more than half a century.

The Murrow School of Communication has established the Maynard F. Hicks Memorial Scholarship for Undergraduate Students in Communication. Donations may be made by sending a check written to the WSU Murrow School of Communication, Pullman, WA 99164-2520. Checks should include “Maynard Hicks” in the memo section.

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WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (WWU), Bellingham, Whatcom County, Wash.

He spent a year or maybe a summer teaching 1971-1973 at WWU in Bellingham. WWU Campus Directories show him as "Prof, Journalism" from 1976-1987. In the 1988 directory he is listed as "Jobs Advisor, Journalism." Note: In 1977, Western Washington State College (WWSC) became Western Washington University (WWU).

CAL STATE, FULLERTON (CSU Fullerton), Orange County, Calif.

During the 1973-1974 academic year, he was on the CSU Fullerton Communications Dept. staff, according to a story in the Jan 31, 1978, CSU Fullerton "Daily Titan" student newspaper. That academic year, "in addition to teaching in the law, reporting and editing fields, another departmental assignment was to provide students and graduates aid in finding jobs," said the story.

 

CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE (CSU Northridge), Northridge, Los Angeles County, Calif.

He was at CSU Northridge for 13 years. A story in the CSU Northridge “Daily Sundial” student newspaper of Feb 3, 1976, says he was a professor in the CSU Northridge Journalism Dept. In 1977, he wrote a book titled, "Where the Jobs  are: Communications," that sold in the United States and Canada.” In 1978 he was a part-time journalism professor at CSU Northridge,” according to a story in the Jan. 31, 1978, CSU Fullerton “Daily Titan” student newspaper. A story in the May 13, 1983, Daily Sundial said he was CSU Northridge “Professor Emeritus,” At CSU Northridge he had been an “advisor, co-advisor to the Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi and has also been involved with CSU Northridge's "Careers in Communications Day” since it started in 1979. In the Apil 2, 1986, issue of "The Daily Sundial" student newspaper of CSU Northridge he is identified him as a "faculty advisor for SPJ/SDX" (Society of Professional Journalists/Sigma Delta Chi).

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May 13, 1983, CSU Northridge "The Daily Sundial"

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The CSU Northridge Journalism Dept. was "fabulous. It was after Watergate and Nixon resigning, as J students we were taught to search for truth, interview multiple sources and properly spell names. Professors Mike Emery, Sam Feldman, Maynard Hicks, Cynthia Rawitch ... set the bar high. Source: Comment by Melinda Sue Norrin, Class of 1981: CSU Northridge Journalism Dept. celebrating its 60th anniversary. CSU Northridge "The Sundial" 60 years of Journalism, 1958-2018.

CSU Northridge "Journalism professors Maynard Hicks and Bryce Mclntyre have been a great help and invaluable" to the success of the CSU Northridge's Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi chapter, said Michael Emery, CSUN's acting journalism dept. chair. Source: Sept. 19, 1986, "Daily Sundial," Cal State Northridge student newspaper.

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Maynard Hicks, WSU communication prof emeritus, "takes in the pregame rally at the golf course next to the Rose Bowl. Hicks game to WSU in 1936." Source: Daily Evergreen 1998 Rose Bowl Commemorative Edition Jan. 1, 1998