In the preface to his remarkable new biography, “Citizen Quigg, A Mayor’s Life of Civic Service,” historian Mark S. Foster begins with a wonderful story about the 17-year-old Quigg Newton.
It was 1929 and Quigg was a senior at Andover. As business manager of the school’s yearbook, Quigg was allowed to keep any profits the yearbook earned. Previous managers had broken even or earned a modest profit. Quigg, ambitious and focused on success, sold so much advertising that the yearbook earned a net profit of $1,000, a lot of money in 1929.
When Quigg wrote home to his father in Denver, James Newton suggested he return the money to the school. Always dutiful, Quigg quietly did so. The surprised headmaster used the funds to establish a small scholarship in Quigg’s name. Seventy-eight years later, the scholarship fund continues to assist young students.
That anecdote illustrates several enduring qualities of Quigg Newton’s character: ambition, a dutiful sense of responsibility and a desire to use his abilities and resources to help others.
Foster, who spent months interviewing Quigg and his wife, Ginny, studying previously unrevealed personal papers and correspondence and researching Quigg’s remarkable life, commented, “It was tough to be objective about Quigg Newton. He was a good man, the quintessential public servant. There are few like him in public service today.”
Perhaps best known locally for his eight years as Denver’s mayor (1947-55), Quigg followed Ben Stapleton’s 20-year tenure. The “boy mayor” was a pro-growth reformer whose enduring legacy includes transforming Denver government from an opaque, crony-ridden, patronage-based fiefdom into a progressive, professional organization.
Newton believed passionately in regional cooperation, creating the Inter-County Regional Planning Association, which later became the Denver Regional Council of Governments. He set up a merit system for the hiring, firing and salary-setting of city employees and, in a 1954 charter amendment, created mayoral authority to appoint Cabinet heads and 50 other appointees. He modernized Denver General Hospital, insisted on competitive bidding for city contracts, re-drew city council districts to reflect population rather than voter registration and encouraged downtown development.
Though considered one of Denver’s greatest mayors, according to Foster, Newton felt his most productive time were the years he served as president of the University of Colorado (1956-63). In large measure because of Newton’s ability to recruit national talent and funds, the university went from a second-rate regional institution to a first-class research university with particularly strong programs in hard science and medicine.
He successfully replaced tired faculty with bright young scholars, capitalizing on his strong national network in the foundation and academic communities.
Newton’s accomplishments at CU were substantial. Enrollment increased by nearly one-third, the number of graduate students grew from 859 to 2,100, and the university’s annual budget doubled, as did student aid.
Newton’s mid-century vision – to establish the Front Range as a scientific research corridor, combining the academic strengths of Colorado’s universities – began during his tenure as mayor of Denver and continues as a 21st century goal.
Shortly after his departure from CU, Quigg became head of the Commonwealth Fund in New York City. In that role, he refocused the organization’s mission on medical education and expanding access to quality medical care.
Through commitment and knowledge gained while he was mayor, Quigg spearheaded efforts to “democratize access” to quality medical care by encouraging medical schools to provide service to local communities.
For seven decades, this remarkable man served his city, state and nation by living, breathing and exemplifying the values of civic stewardship.
Foster’s biography of Newton is a must read for anyone interested in history, politics or stewardship.
It is an enlightened roadmap for all who aspire to the rank of Citizen (with a capital C).
Susan Barnes-Gelt (bs13@qwest.net) served eight years on the Denver City Council and was an aide to former Denver Mayor Federico Peña. Her column appears on alternate Sundays.
