Rev. Ethelbert D. Warfield

Title

Rev. Ethelbert D. Warfield

Subject

Wilson College Presidents

Description

Born: Lexington, KY 1861
Died: July 6, 1936
Inauguration: 1915
Education: University of Kentucky, completed BA at Princeton in 1882. Spent 1882-1883 at Oxford in England where he specialized in constitutional history. 1885 graduated from Columbia University with a degree in law. Received MA from Princeton. 1899 ordained as a minister in the Presbyterian Church

At age 27 became president of Miami University of Ohio (1888) – youngest college president up to that time
1891 – 1914: president of Lafayette College
Progress:
Supported closer ties to the Presbyterian Church
President during WWI – encouraged students to remain in College despite temptation to leave
Also a serious influenza epidemic that did not hit Wilson due to stress Warfield placed on physical fitness (drilled, marched, and exercised regularly)
Increased course offerings in the sciences and created better-equipped laboratories
During his time, President became a member of the Board of Trustees, which allowed him to work more closely with those ultimately responsible for the institution
Created the Dean position (Dean of Students? Rosenkrans and Disert’s position)
Worked to appoint more and better qualified faculty members and to appoint women with advanced degrees
Facilities: Power plant; swimming pool, Lortz (science at that time), library; Riddle, recitation hall (Warfield),
Increased enrollment from under 200 students to approx.. 460
Granted more scholarships
1922 joined Middle States and the Association of American Colleges and American Council on Education
Gained a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa
Supported liberal arts education over vocational tendency in the 1930s
(info from article written by Margaret Disert)

Source

VIP files

Publisher

C. Elizabeth Boyd '33 Archives, Wilson College

Date

1915-1936

Rights

For information on copyright or permissions for this collection contact the C. Elizabeth Boyd '33 archives

Format

Image/Jpeg

Language

English

Files

warfield.jpg

Citation

“Rev. Ethelbert D. Warfield,” Hankey Center for the History of Women's Education, accessed March 29, 2024, https://exhibits.wilson.edu/items/show/1880.