Dr. Bowman Foster Ashe and Dr. Howard A. Doolin were two individuals who contributed to education in Miami-Dade County throughout their lives. Dr. Ashe served as the first president of the University of Miami from 1926 to 1952. Throughout his 26 years at UM, Dr. Ashe was considered the “architect and builder of the University of Miami in all its aspects.” He believed strongly in the concept of continuing education. Adult education, he believed, was the equivalent to intellectual recreation, and he sought to develop an adult education program at UM that would incorporate lectures and a concert bureau. Dr. Ashe also believed that UM should aim to develop a medical school, as there was none in the state. Dr. Ashe remained president of UM until his death on December 16, 1952.
Dr. Howard A. Doolin, who was often referred to as The “Maestro,” served as music superintendent for Miami-Dade County Public Schools from 1951 to 1984. During this time, he inspired thousands of students and educators to believe in the musician inside all of them. By helping to make music education a basic requirement in the public schools, he brought music into the lives of children who otherwise would have never had that privilege and pleasure. He believed that the arts provide a uniquely valuable mode of seeing ourselves and the world around us. In recognition of his achievements, and as a testament to his legacy, Dr. Doolin was inducted into the National Music Educators Hall of Fame on April 19, 1996.