Dr. William Rainey Harper
| William Rainey Harper | |
|---|---|
 |
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| First President of the University of Chicago |
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In office 1891–1906 |
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| Succeeded by | Harry Pratt Judson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
July 24, 1856 New Concord, Ohio |
| Died | January 10, 1906 (aged 49) Chicago |
| Spouse(s) | Ella Paul Harper |
| Children | Samuel, Paul, Donald, and Davida Harper |
| Alma mater |
Muskingum College Yale University |
| Profession | Scholar and educational administrator |
William Rainey Harper (July 24, 1856 – January 10, 1906) was an American academic leader of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Harper helped to establish both the University of Chicago and Bradley University and served as the first president of both institutions.
Harper was born on July 24, 1856, in New Concord, Ohio1, to parents of Irish-Scottish ancestry. 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 starting in 1883.
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.
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 the university's first president. Harper also had expert knowledge of every department of education as well as business acumen, and he was a very powerful public speaker. In hiring the faculty of the new university and selecting its students, Harper set standards quite high. Harper elevated the salaries of the faculty members above those of ordinary schoolteachers, and by doing so attracted the best scholars of all disciplines to the university.
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