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Edwin O. Smith

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Edwin O. Smith
Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives
In office
1933–1960
Acting President of the University of Connecticut
In office
1908
Preceded byRufus W. Stimson
Succeeded byCharles L. Beach
Personal details
Born1871
Albany, New York, U.S.
DiedOctober 28, 1960 (aged 89)
Willimantic, Connecticut, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Alma materWesleyan University
OccupationPolitician, teacher, coach
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1894DePauw
1902–1905Connecticut
Baseball
1902–1905Connecticut
Head coaching record
Overall18–17–1 (football)
13–9–1 (baseball)

Edwin Oscar Smith (1871 – October 28, 1960) was a Connecticut politician who served 28 years in the Connecticut House of Representatives[1] and, from April through September, 1908, was president of the Connecticut Agricultural College,[2] which is now the University of Connecticut.

Biography

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Smith was born in Albany, New York. He attended Wesleyan University, graduating in 1893.[1] He played professional baseball on teams in Hartford, Connecticut, and the Adirondacks region of New York and he was a baseball and football coach at Depauw University.[3]

Between 1901 and 1916 he was a member of the faculty of the Connecticut Agricultural College (now the University of Connecticut) in Storrs, teaching English and economics.[1] He served as the school's football and baseball coach for four seasons, from 1902 to 1905, compiling a 14–13–1 record in football and a 13–9–1 record in baseball.[4][5] From April through September 1908 he held the school's interim presidency.[2]

A Republican, Smith was elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1932 and served 14 consecutive two-year terms in the House. He was seeking re-election to a fifteenth term when he died from a heart attack on October 28, 1960. He also was a member of the Connecticut State Board of Education between 1935 and 1939. As a state legislator, he played a significant role in the enactment of legislation related to education and served as chairman of the Legislative Committee on Education that in 1954 established a formula for state government financial support of public schools.[1][3]

At the time of his death at the age of 89, Smith was the oldest and longest-serving member of the Connecticut General Assembly.[1]

E. O. Smith High School

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E. O. Smith High School, established in 1958 as a regional school to serve the towns of Ashford and Mansfield, is named for him.[6] Originally part of the University of Connecticut campus, owned by the state, and operated by the university, it has been operated as a regional public school since 1987.[7] In 1993 the town of Willington was added to the region served by the school.[7]

Head coaching record

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Football

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
DePauw (Indiana Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1894)
1894 DePauw 4–4
DePauw: 4–4
Connecticut Aggies (Athletic League of New England State Colleges) (1902–1905)
1902 Connecticut 4–3
1903 Connecticut 3–5
1904 Connecticut 5–3–1
1905 Connecticut 2–2
Connecticut: 14–13–1
Total: 18–17–1

Baseball

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The following table depicts Smith's record as head baseball coach at Connecticut.[8]

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Connecticut Aggies (1902–1905)
1902 Connecticut 3–1
1903 Connecticut 3–4
1904 Connecticut 3–1
1905 Connecticut 3–3–1
Total: 12–9–1

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Rep. E.O. Smith, 89, of Connecticut dies, The New York Times, October 29, 1960
  2. ^ a b Betsy Pittman (2008), University of Connecticut President's Office Records: Edwin O. Smith, 1908, Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut, archived from the original on September 7, 2008
  3. ^ a b Rep. E.O. Smith, Dean of the House, Taken by Death, Meriden Journal, October 28, 1960
  4. ^ Connecticut Huskies Football History, NationalChamps.net website, accessed August 16, 2011
  5. ^ "University of Connecticut - SABR Encyclopedia". Archived from the original on March 28, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  6. ^ Celebrating 50 Years Archived 2011-07-26 at the Wayback Machine, Edwin O. Smith High School website, accessed August 18, 2011
  7. ^ a b School / Region History Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, Edwin O. Smith High School website, accessed August 18, 2011
  8. ^ 2018 Baseball Media Guide (PDF). uconnhuskies.com. pp. 40, 59. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2018. Retrieved April 1, 2018.

Further reading

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  • Theodore Powell (1960), The School Bus Law: A case study in education, religion, and politics. Wesleyan University Press.