Greenville Businessman - Walter Hammer

Honored at Greenville College Scholarship Dinner

To honor Greenville businessman Walter Hammer for his faithfulness to the college in hiring college students to work in the Pet Milk Can Shop, Greenville College hosted a celebration dinner on Saturday, June 12, during Alumni Reunion Weekend. Former employees, family members, and friends who have contributed to an endowed scholarship in his name gathered to pay tribute and celebrate the commencement of the scholarship. Forty donors raised over $10,000 towards the endowed scholarship.

Though Walter Hammer died at age 84 in July of 1983, he lived his life as a man of character and a man of God. For almost 50 years he worked for the Pet Milk Company in Greenville , many of those years as the manager of the Can Shop. Although he did not attend college himself, Walter strongly believed in the benefits of the character-based, Christ-centered education at Greenville College .

As foreman of the Can Shop, he began hiring GC students to work the night shift during World War II, a practice he continued until his retirement in 1963. Although it is impossible to determine with certainty, it is believed that as many as 150 young GC men were hired by Hammer at union wages. These were good jobs, and he took some criticism around town for hiring college students when other men in the community needed work and had families to support. But Walter strongly believed in the importance and eternal benefit of Christian higher education.

Annella Baumann, Hammer's daughter said, “My father hired the college boys because they were exemplary employees and because of their Christian influence to other older employees.” A kind and encouraging individual, Walter enabled many students to meet their education costs, and some their family costs as well, while they attended Greenville College .

The memorial scholarship fund in his honor is the gift of many grateful individuals, primarily former Can Shop employees, but also members of the Hammer family and a number of friends who benefited from Walter's generosity and his sterling example as a Christian layperson and businessman.

The Walter Hammer Memorial Endowed Scholarship is given to one junior or senior student per year majoring in business or a related field. A junior must have a B average or higher overall. The award may be given a second time to the same student in his or her senior year, with a minimum required GPA of 3.2 within the student's Business-related major.

At the dinner, GC Director of Financial Aid Karl Somerville announced junior Ryan Manning as the first recipient of the scholarship in the fall of 2004. Manning, a junior from Colorado City , CO studies Business Management. Originally from Witt , Illinois , the scholarship will help Manning offset the cost of paying out-of-state tuition. Manning has maintained a 3.65 GPA and is a respected team leader for the Greenville College soccer team. Track and Cross County Coach Brian Patton, Manning's Sunday School teacher, said of him, “Ryan is one of the more spiritually mature young men that I know. A solid young man.”

Also at the memorial dinner, President Mannoia presented the Hammer family with the Loyalty Award from the Alumni Association in honor of their father's dedication to the college. The award posthumously recognizes Mr. Hammer's outstanding loyalty and commitment to Greenville College over a long period of time.

Marvin Zahniser and Duane Hood, former Can Shop employees, organized the search for other Can Shop employees and scholarship funds with the help of Greenville College Director of Development Dave Disch, whose father was also a former Can Shop employee.

Zahniser revealed the impact of Hammer's faithfulness in the life of Can Shop employees when he said, “As I reflected on my own life, I began to see that Walter Hammer was one of those individuals who had contributed significantly to my own success, and to the success of a great host of college fellows he employed at the Pet Milk Can Shop over a period of 20 years.”

“Duane Hood and I now have a genuine sense of completeness,” Zahniser went on to say, “and only wish that Walter could know how his helping hand for so many GC men has been recognized and will continue to be recognized down through the years each time the Hammer Memorial Scholarship is awarded to another student.”