Abstract
From 1949 to 1983 Harold Rakov taught political science at Brockport. He also served as an administrator, being a popular dean of students for a number of years for example. Many recall his annual reading of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas in one of the residence halls!
He attended Oswego Normal School in the 1930s, and then taught what we would call special eduction classes today for several years. In WWII he served in the Army in New Guinea and Okinawa. After the war he continued his education at Syracuse University and then came to Brockport.
A "Prof Profile" from 1961 in the Stylus describes him thusly: "A familiar figure at almost any campus activity is that of a towering gentleman, his ruggedly handsome face set off by jet black eyebrows and striking grey hair. Add a pair of twinkling brown eyes. a football physique and a black pipe and you have none other than Brockport State's Dean of Students, Dr. Harold Rakov..." He is pictured here with his wife Jill at a campus dance sometime around 1960.
