Dimorier Project
The Dimorier Project began in 2004, when a handwritten journal of original poetry was discovered at a printing-house auction in Erie, PA. The journal belonged to William E. Dimorier who was born in Afton, NY, in 1871, and died there in 1951. An educator, he spent nearly 40 years in Erie dedicating himself to a life of service to his students and the community.
1907
William, the son of a farmer, graduated high school at the age of 25. The delay in receiving his diploma was likely the result of his being needed in the fields. He was 31 years old before he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1903 from Colgate University, but by then he had already held two Baptist pastorates and several teaching positions. After graduation, William taught for a year at a women’s college and two years at a college prep school, both in upstate New York. At the prep school, one of his students was a future Chinese ambassador to the United States. Later, he sponsored the education of a poor, but promising, Chinese student, who became a respected educator himself.
Coming to Erie High School in 1906, William served as head of the English Department and advisor to the debate club, yearbook, school newspaper, and athletic program, leading the cause for a 10-acre athletic field. Later, as assistant principal at the new Academy High School, he led the fundraising for Veterans Memorial Stadium, a 15,000-seat arena dedicated to World War I veterans. For many years, he also served as business manager for the school’s nationally known choir.
During his career, William wrote a number of scholarly articles and self-published two books of poetry. Some of his verses were included in published choral compositions.
William E. Dimorier: Servant Leader is the biography that grew out of more than a decade of research. It examines the life of a farmer’s son, who took a non-traditional path to becoming a leader. The manuscript follows Dimorier’s long career in education, as he became a role model for leadership and service without expectation of reward.
The goal of William E. Dimorier: Servant-Leader is to share with a general audience how a person from humble beginnings can lead a life of service, largely unrecognized, but ultimately, having an influence that stretches around the globe and across centuries.
Dimorier can accurately be called a servant leader; a concept introduced by the late Robert K. Greenleaf, a retired AT&T executive:
The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions…
Purchase William E. Dimorier: Servant Leader
Full Index to William E. Dimorier: Servant Leader
Manuscript Information/Detailed Outline
Listed below are some articles related to Dimorier:
The Mystery of William E. Dimorier
Pilgrimage to Poet’s Hometown Yields Some Answers
Dimorier Helped Campaign for Attendance
Why Aren’t We Memorizing Poems Anymore?
Walking Dimorier’s Path at Hoover Dam
1916 Love Letter for Erie, Pennsylvania
Stadium Named for World War I Vets in 1924
A Curious Pronunciation of Dimorier
The Saga of the Academy High Pipe Organ
7 Things to Know About Servant Leadership
Dimorier Brought Newspapers to Erie Classrooms
Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame Nomination
What a wonderful tribute to William E. Dimorier. Your research and organization show the extent of how much you honor this humble “servant leader.”
Thank you so much!