William Rainey Harper ( born William Rainey Harper ; July 26, 1856, New Concord, Ohio - January 10, 1906) is an American linguist, Hebraist , teacher and educator, one of the founders of the University of Chicago and Bradley University . He was also the first rector of both universities.
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Biography
Born in an Anglo-Irish family, from childhood he was distinguished by outstanding mental abilities: already at ten years old he entered Maxingham College in his hometown, graduated from it four years later with a Hebraist diploma, studied at Yale University in 1872-1876, receiving a doctorate in Indo-Iranian and Semitic languages, after graduation, remained to teach in it and also began to teach at the University of Denison. In 1886, he became a professor of Semitic languages at Yale University , in 1889 at the same time as a professor of biblical history in Wilsiv. Since 1883 he participated in the activities of Chatokwa University, in 1891 he became one of the founders and the first rector of the University of Chicago ; in this post, he set significantly higher salaries than teachers of other universities in the country, but at the same time introduced very high exam requirements for applicants. In 1896, he became one of the founders of the University of Bradley at the same time as the University of Chicago . Rector of the University of Chicago and professor of Semitic languages in it remained until the end of his life.
His efforts created the first in the United States Department of Egyptology and Sociology. During his life he published a large number of textbooks, was a supporter of the theory of the so-called “lifelong learning”, believing that learning is necessary throughout life. In the 1890s, he initiated the founding of a whole network of “affiliated” colleges of the University of Chicago and all kinds of correspondence lectures and courses, the graduates of which could apply for free tuition in it; shortly after his death, this program was discontinued. Died of cancer at the age of 49.
Major works: “Religion and the Higher Life” (1904); "A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Amos and Hosea" (1905); “The Prophetic Element in the Old Testament” (1905); "The Trend in Higher Education" (1905).
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 3 German National Library , Berlin State Library , Bavarian State Library , etc. Record # 116483962 // General regulatory control (GND) - 2012—2016.
- ↑ 1 2 SNAC - 2010.
Links
- Biography of William Rainey Harper at the William Rainey Harper College website