William Kloster and Arnie Grummer
UNI 150: People you should know
The alumni behind the “Alma Mater”
Despite being one of the most iconic pieces of music associated with the university, UNI’s “Alma Mater” was not crafted by esteemed musicians at the time, but by a college student and a young writer. It was the result of hard work of William Kloster (composer) and Arnold “Arnie” Grummer (lyricist) when the Iowa State Teachers College put out a call for submissions for an alma mater contest in 1950. Kloster and Grummer’s submission was one of just four entries, but it was the standout favorite.
At the time, Grummer, an English alum, was working at the Iowa State Teachers College radio department with Herb Hake. Kloster, a music major who was very active on the ISTC campus, heard about the contest and convinced Grummer, his neighbor, to craft the submission with him.
“One of the judges, a music professor, was withholding their vote until one note in the music was changed,” Grummer’s wife, Mabel, recalled in a letter to the UNI Alumni Association. “Bill, the gifted student, did not want any change to his music so he had the entry copyrighted. Since the committee had no other choice, and since they did want an alma mater, the judge gave in to their entry.”
Grummer and Kloster collaborated on multiple plays and musicals together in the years that followed.
Kloster went on to a rich career in teaching music and directing the orchestra at Ottawa University in Kansas. Outside of his writing career, Grummer worked so extensively in the paper industry that he was eventually inducted into the Paper Industry Hall of Fame.
Celebrate 150 years of the University of Northern Iowa by nominating individuals who have made a significant impact on our campus, community and beyond.
