William Rainey Harper
| William Rainey Harper | |
|---|---|
 The first president of the University of Chicago |
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| Born | July 26, 1856 New Concord, Ohio |
| Died | January 10, 1906 Chicago |
| Alma mater | Muskingum College and Yale University |
| Profession | Scholar and educational administrator |
| Spouse | Ella Paul Harper |
| Children | Samuel, Paul, Donald, and Davida Harper |
William Rainey Harper (July 26, 1856 – January 10, 1906) was one of the leading American academic leaders of the late 19th century and the early 20th century. Harper helped to establish both the University of Chicago and Bradley University, and he served as the first presidents of both institutions.
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[edit] Early life and career
Harper was born on July 26, 1856, in New Concord, Ohio1, Harper's parents were of Irish-Scottish ancestry.[1] Very early in his life, Harper displayed skills years ahead of other children of his age, and he was labeled a child prodigy. By the age of eight, Harper began preparing for college-level courses. At the age of ten he enrolled in Muskingum College in his native New Concord, Ohio. At the age of fourteen, he graduated from Muskingum College. In 1872, Harper enrolled in Yale University to begin his postgraduate studies, and he completed these in 1876. Harper quickly assumed a series of faculty positions, including ones at Denison University and Yale University. Throughout his academic life, Harper wrote numerous textbooks. A strong supporter of lifelong learning, Harper was also involved with the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York, and its academic programs.
[edit] As University of Chicago President
In 1891, John D. Rockefeller selected thirty-five year-old Harper to assist in organizing the University of Chicago, and shortly thereafter, he was selected as its first president. In hiring the faculty the new university and selecting its students, Harper set the standards quite high. Harper elevated the salaries of the faculty members above those of ordinary schoolteachers, and by doing so, he attracted the best scholars to the university. Harper had expert knowledge of every department of education as well as business acumen, and he was a very powerful public speaker .[1]
[edit] Academic Innovations
In addition to encouraging the establishment for the first department of Egyptology and Sociology in the United States, Harper ensured the establishment of the University of Chicago Press. Harper also instituted the first extension service in America designed to bring classes to those who could not attend regular classes -- because of their work or other obligations. One of Harper's ideas, that students should be able to study the first two years of college in their own communities to be better prepared for the rigors of college, helped lead to the creation of the system of community colleges in the United States.
[edit] Personal life
William Rainey Harper married Ella Paul Harper in 1875. They were the parents of three sons, Samuel Northrup, Paul, and Donald, and one daughter, Davida.
[edit] Legacy
Additionally, in 1896, Harper assisted Lydia Moss Bradley in developing her plans for the creation of Bradley Polytechnic Institute in Peoria, Illinois. Upon the founding of the institute, now known as Bradley University, Harper served as its first president.[2] William Rainey Harper College, a community college located in Palatine, Illinois, was named for him. He is the namesake for a high school and street in Chicago. There is also an elementary school in Cleveland, named for him.
Harper died on January 10, 1906, of cancer, at the age of forty-nine. He and his wife were interred at the Rockefeller Memorial Chapel on the campus of the University of Chicago.[3]
[edit] Published works
- Introductory Hebrew Method and Manual (1886)
- An Inductive Greek Method (1888) (co-written by William E. Waters)
- Elements of Hebrew Syntax By an Inductive Method (1888)
- Eight Books Of Caesar's Gallic War (1891)
- Young Folks Library: Leaders of Men or History Told in Biography (Editor-1891)
- Xenophon's Anabasis Seven Books (1893)
- Religion and the Higher Life (1904)
- The Prophetic Element In The Old Testament: An Aid To Historical Study For Use In Advanced Bible Classes (1905)
- A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Amos and Hosea (1905)
[edit] References
- ^ a b Bradley University (1907). Bradley Polytechnic Institute: The first decade, 1897-1907. Bradley University. p. 128.
- ^ "The Founding of Bradley". Bradley University. Archived from the original on 2008-02-10. http://web.archive.org/web/20080210021958/http://www.bradley.edu/about/founding.shtml. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
- ^ [1]
[edit] Notes
Note 1:The original log cabin that was William Rainey Harper’s birthplace has been preserved and is located in New Concord, Ohio across from the main gate of Muskingum College.
[edit] External links
- William Rainey Harper at the Yerkes Observatory web site
- Biography of William Rainey Harper at the William Rainey Harper College web site
- Flyer from the Board of Trustees of the University of Chicago regarding the establishment of the William Rainey Harper Memorial Fund. Chicago, March 1, 1906 from the American Memory collection at the Library of Congress
| Academic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by None |
President of the University of Chicago 1891—1906 |
Succeeded by Harry Pratt Judson |
