Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1906-01-18
noted EDUCATOR
CALLED BY DEATH
DR.. WILLIAM r. HARPER, PREsI-
DENT OF UNIVERSITY OF CHI
CAGo, PASSES AWAY.
Fad Long Been a Building
Up Of the Great Institution of w hich
He Was the Head Was Growing
Work of His Useful Life.

Chicago, Jan. 11.-William Rainey
Harper, president of the University of
Chicago, died Wednesday afternoon.
About year ago DR.. Harper was taken
to the Presbyterian hospital for an op-
GRAFTON for appendicitis. When the
incisions were made it was found that
he was suffering from carcinoma
Cancer of the intestines). He raj
lied from the operation and recovered
to a sufficient extent to partially re-
sumo his university work. Among his
visits out of town were one to John
D. Rockefellers, at Lakeland, N. j.,
one to Mr.. Rockefeller, at Cincinnati,
and third to Battle Creek. Mich.
From the last named point he re-
turned early in September with the
announcement that he felt so much
improved that he would resume his
regular work at the university. This
he never did, however, and all through
the fall and winter it was apparent
to his friends that he was slowly grow
ing weaker and that the chances of
his recovery were remote.
His death closes a career of educa.
ton in which the University of Chi
cago was his browning work.
Student and Educator.
DR.. Harper was born in the little
Ohio town of New Concord. Muskin-
gum county, July 26, 1856, the son OF
Samuel and Ellen Elizabeth (nee Raj
ney) Harper. He entered the United
Presbyterian college when eight years
of age and upon his graduation from
that institution at the age of II deliv-
cred an Grafton in the Hebrew Ian
suaGe. After three years study at
home he became a student of philology
under Prof. William Dwight Whitney
at Yale university, and in 1875, at the
age of 10, received the degree of doc
tor of philosophy and Immediately was
elected principal of the Masonic COL
lege at Macon, Tenn. He left this DO
sition year later to become a tutor
in the preparatory department of Den
nison university at Granville, O., where
his devotion to work and his ability to
arouse interest in his students led to
his selection as principal of the de-
oartment of this institution that was
known as the Granville academy. The
president of Dennison university al
this time was DR.. E. BENJAMIN An
drews now president of the University
OF Nebraska. Drs. Andrews and Har-
per worked tremendously and became
lifelong friends. 1t was the recon-
mendation of DR.. Andrews that Sc
cured for DR.. Harper appointment as
professor of Hebrew and the cognate
languages in the Baptist Union Theo.
logical seminary at Morgan Park, ILL.,.
which position he held from 1879 to
1886. DR.. Harper had previously united
with the Baptist church while at Gran
Vile. In his new position at Morgan
Park DR.. Harper devoted his attention
to instruction in Hebrew by the CORE.
5pondence system and also to the in
ductive method of teaching languages
and in his later career he never aban-
1oned these two things. In 1891 he
was chosen president of the new Uni
versity of Chicago, to be founded the
following year. From the first, with
only a 100000 endowment from Mr.
Rockefeller, he projected plans upon
an unparalleled scale, and when the
moneyed classes caught a glimpse OF
he epic greatness of the scheme they
aocked to his support. The minor de.
tails of biography are Of little value
Harper's life. His history is written
IN the consideration of President
between the lines of that of the Uni.
versity of Chicago.