By Jeff Kenney Editor
CULVER — Bob Hartman’s latest book had its origin on a cold November day, “the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour, freezing…and reflecting upon the fact that we lost a lot of men in the first World War,” recalls Hartman.
That was more than 10 years ago, and was the undercurrent that drove a great deal of Hartman’s efforts in historical research at Culver Academies, where he is the school’s first and only historian and archivist, though he sees himself as a kind of performer as well.

Performance has certainly become a part of his work, whether it’s taking one of dozens of talks (accompanied by PowerPoint presentations) to any of the 28 U.S. cities where he speaks on Culver Academy history to alumni-based Culver Clubs, or to audiences in the Culver community or at the Academy.
His research has also resulted in the publication of several books, the latest of which is hot off the presses: “Lest We Forget: Culver – Two Great Wars and the Years Between, 1914-1945.”
As the title implies, the book concerns the years of and between the two wars as they relate to Culver. Says Hartman, “In 1996, I was retired a couple of years and needed something to do. The real genesis (of the book) came up when I began to think about all the people that had served. From 1940 on through, the Alumnus magazine made notes about what everyone was doing in the war… I started putting those notes into the book. When I could, I began to fill in spots. The seed of it started when I asked, ‘who are these guys?’”
Why did he write the book? “It’s all in the title. I didn’t want these guys and the history they had made, to die...I didn’t want that sacrifice to die unrecognized.”
“The great tragedy is that I started too late on World War II to tap many of these people of their information. A thousand veterans die a day, they say. But I did get info from people that fell into my hands.”
A total of 2,583 Culver Academy graduates served in World War I and 86 died in the war. A total of 6,008 Culver alums served in World War II with a total of 302 killed. As Hartman’s book relates, however, a startling number of heroes and notable figures emerged from the ranks of Culver in both wars. His book also covers the impact the wars had on Culver Academy at home, from its involvement in the ROTC program, to the creation of the Legion Memorial Building and the hallowed tradition of the gold star.
Many around Culver may not realize that this is only the latest of several books Hartman has written. In fact, two more were published by the Academy earlier this year. “I edited Rossow Reports, the memoirs of Col. Robert Rossow, assembled and edited The Logansport Flood in August. He has published several other books, including “Pass in Review,” a coffee-table photographic history of the Academy created for the school’s 1994 centennial celebration, and a history of the famous Black Horse Troop, “Boots and Saddles.” In addition, Hartman has written scores of shorter Academy history pieces for his Web site at www.culver.org/history.
Robert B.D. Hartman grew up in Virginia and Charleston, S.C. “I finished my Masters at the University of Virginia in 1958, and came straight to Culver.”
He taught history at the Academy until 1972, when he became dean of admissions and later, alumni director and executive secretary of the centennial commission. He retired from the school in 1994, at the end of that centennial year. “I fell down that day and broke my wrist. It was a hell of a way to end my career!”
But Hartman’s career was far from over. “I came back to work on Valentine’s Day of 2000,” he recalls.  That day, he inherited not only the title of historian and archivist, but a “room…full of stuff, things that had come from the library in particular, from the vault, from other people who didn’t know what to do with things…tons of stuff. It was sort of a dumping ground, and I just un-dumped it and cleaned it up enough to find my way around and be able to do some stories. Nothing happened beyond that until recently.”
For the first time, however, Hartman provided a central place for these historical materials, and also what he calls an “institutional memory” for the historic school. “(Before me) John Henderson was the institutional memory. He retired in 1969 but kept on working until he died in 1981 at the age of 87.”
How, then, did Bob Hartman become the veritable encyclopedia of Culver Academy history that he is? “I was just a good listener. When I came, I was ‘adopted’ by people like Col. Whitney, Col. Leland, and others, and they told me tales and I just remembered them. There wasn’t any calculated idea of doing anything until I guess the late 1980s when I had become alumni director. I thought, ‘we’re not saving anything.’”
Part of Hartman’s job, of course, is answering Academy history questions for students, faculty, alumni, the press, and just about anyone who asks, and ask they do. He has become the de facto “answer man” for all things related to Academy history.
Says Academy alumni director Alan Loehr, “it is a luxury for any school to have a competent, engaged historian. Bob recognized Culver's need to record and recognize its past and he has provided us with a template for a dynamic history program…all of these offerings will only become more efficient and effective in the years ahead.”
Paul Gignilliat, grandson of Gen. Leigh Gignilliat, one of the most prominent shapers of Culver Academy, agrees. “I think the (new) book speaks volumes about Culver,” he says. “I always said that Culver’s greatest classes were the ones that preceded and during the war years…Bob has brought back that in his archival work.”
“He’s the focal point of a lot of letters and memorabilia,” continues Gignilliat. “Without question, he’s been an asset in this (recent fundraising) campaign for Culver, By Example. He brings a lot of people good memories…Bob had retired several years ago, and I think (Academy head of schools) John Buxton gets credit for bringing him back.”
But Hartman is not only a familiar face at Culver Academy. He lives in the town of Culver and enjoys the community there as well. “I like people. I learn from people. In my relations in the town I’ve always been interested in what people did…Everybody has something to share.”
But understandably, there is a special place in his heart for the Academy. “Culver is my family…so I feel I should write about my family. When I have come in here and done something, I feel fulfilled because I have saved something about my family.”
Bob Hartman’s latest book and earlier titles are available through the Culver Academies bookstore at 574-842-8279 or  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it