Deans of men in American colleges and universities were created in the
late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to help manage a growing
student population. The early deans often had a personality that allowed
them to engage easily with students. Over time, many deans saw their
offices increase in size and responsibility. The profession grew slowly
but by the 1940's drew several hundred men to annual conferences and
many more were members. Deans of men and women were significant figures
for college students; many students saw them as the "face" of the
college or university. Schwartz traces the role and work of the deans
and how they managed the rapidly growing culture of the American college
campus in the twentieth century.