IS RIVERS CREAtING - The Rivers School

In Memoriam
E d wa r d L . H u t t o n
With the recent passing of Edward
L. Hutton at age 89, The Rivers
School has lost a generous benefactor
who impacted the lives of
Rivers students in two critical ways. Not only was
he a major contributor to the Defining Moment
Campaign, which financed the construction of
the new athletic center, he also established the
Hutton Scholarship Fund in honor of his daughter,
Rivers English teacher Jennie Hutton Jacoby.
For the past five years, Hutton Hall, Hutton
Commons, and Hutton Terrace have been a focal
point of the Rivers campus. At the heart of the
MacDowell Athletic Center, these spaces, given in
honor of his daughter and grandson, Miles Hutton Jacoby
’07, have hosted everything from trustee meetings to brownbag
science seminars, study halls to alumni barbecues, as well
as legions of cheering Red Wings fans.
“My grandfather was a storyteller,” said Miles Jacoby. “We
would sit for hours as he told and often retold stories of his
youth, impressing upon me the importance of a good education,
strong character, and moral compass, and of leaving
the world a better place than I found it. He was a teacher and
an inspiration; I have and always will follow my grandfather’s
example. I only hope to one day be as loving and giving as
he was.”
Mr. Hutton wrote in a letter to Jennie Jacoby that “education
for our youngsters is the great hope—perhaps the only
hope—for this world.” His generosity was not limited to Rivers,
but enjoyed by other institutions, such as his high school
in Bedford, IN and Indiana University (IU), where he earned
his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. In recognition of his philanthropy,
he also received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree
from IU in 1992 and the IU Foundation’s Herman B.
Wells Visionary award in 2002.
The years he spent in the U.S. Army in Germany, and
subsequently in Berlin working for the occupational government,
gave him a global perspective that he felt every student
should acquire during their education. He once wrote, “In a
rapidly changing world, if we are to discharge our international
leadership duties in a responsible manner, we must
produce at an accelerating pace hundreds of thousands of
new leaders with some international experience.” Years later,
Edward Hutton with Miles
and Jennie Jacoby
he established the International Experiences Program at IU to
encourage and support foreign study. He also established a
new Political and Civic Engagement Program and Hutton
Honors College at IU, as well as the Hutton School of Business
at Cumberland College in Kentucky.
Mr. Hutton was the founder and chairman of the Cincinnati-based
Chemed Corporation. He was chief executive
officer of the company from 1971 until 2001, and continued to
serve as chairman of a Chemed affiliate, Omnicare, until his
retirement in 2008. According to a recent Wall Street Journal
obituary, he was a firm believer in hard work, loyalty, and
fairness, and his conservative business practices were key to
his success.
“Mr. Hutton was the embodiment of Rivers’ core values of
Integritas et Sedulitas, integrity and perseverance,” said Head
of School Tom Olverson. “He was a well-respected and hardworking
businessman who used his success to improve the
educational opportunities of hundreds of students. He had
great respect for teachers like his daughter Jennie and understood
the impact a teacher can have on a student’s life.”
Mr. Hutton summed up his outlook on life in his autobiography
as follows, “Be thankful for your success and repay the
debts to those who have helped you. Put back into this world
more than you take out of it. Be most appreciative of your
blessings and give a helping hand to the less fortunate.”
“From his ‘rags to riches’ journey to his tremendous
philanthropy, my father’s life story has been quite inspirational
for my family and me,” said Jennie Hutton Jacoby. “He was a
remarkable man.”
Spring 2009 • Riparian •