New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-02
OBITUARY..
PROF. FRANKLIN w. HOOPER.

Boston. Aug. Professor Franklin
William Hooper, director of the Brook
Ign Institute of Arts and Sciences, died
to-day at his summer home in Wal
pole, N. Y.
Franklin William Hooper was born
on February If, 1851. the son Of VIII
lam and Elvira (Pulsifer) Hooper and
the descendant of Hoopers who had
been settled on the same homestead
for many generations. lie was edu-
Gated at Antioch College, in Ohio, and
was graduated in 1871. Later he
spent two years at Harvard in post
graduate course in biology. In 1897
Harvard gave him an honorary A. NJ /,
and Middlebury and Antioch gave him
LII. d. respectively in 1911 and 1872.
At the end of his studies at Harvard,
in the spring of 1876, he married Miss
Martha Holden, Of Augusta, ia.
His inclination led him into the
career Of an educator, and his mrs,
work as such was in the principalshlp
Of the high school at Keenc, y. H.,
from 1877 to 1880. In the latter year
he came to Brooklyn to be professor
of natural sciences in the Adelphi In
sLlluLe, now AutlpNl OOiitbts III 'H'N'
place he remained for nine years.
On September 1, 1889, he became
director of the Brooklyn Institute o.
Arts and Sciences, and thus entered
upon the work for which he will be
chiefly remembered. That institution,
formerly housed in an obscure build
ing in Washington St, under his enter
prising direction has been developed
into the foremost agency for popular
culture in that borough. It's activities
comprise each year an almost innumer-
able array Of classes for instruction
and lectures on almost every conceiv-
able topic of study and Of human IN
terest, with concerts, art exhibitions,
etc, of the best class. For years 1t has
been the most important factor IN the
intellectual and artistic life of Brook
Ign, and such as It is the community
owes it chiefly to Professor Hooper.
In connection with the institute he
organized also the Brooklyn Museum
Of Arts and Sciences, which now Occu-
pies, on the Eastern Parkway near the
main entrance to Prospect Park, what
will be when finished the most impos-
ing edifice in Brooklyn and one of the
most noteworthy buildings of the kind
in the United States. 1t includes also
a children's museum and, on the ad .
jacent grounds, the Brooklyn Botanic
Gardens, both of which were founded
by Professor Hooper.
In addition TO directing personally
and almost automatically this gigantic
organization, he himself frequently
lectured on geology, biology and other
scientific topics. In 1890 he became q
director of the Brooklyn Art Associa-
ton; from 1892 to 1899 he was mem
Der of the Brooklyn Board of Educa-
ton; from 1895 to 1904 a director OF
the Brooklyn Public Library; since
1899 a trustee of Antioch College; from
1912 trustee and secretary of the
New York State School of Agriculture,
on Long Island; since 1918 a trustee Of
Adelphi College, and since 1890 secre-
tary of the board of managers of the
Biological Laboratory at Cold Spring
Harbor.
He was an officer or member of many
organizations. including the American
Association for the Advancement of
Science, the American Oriental So
ciety, the New York Academy of Sci
ences, the American Bison Society, the
National Geographic Society, the Mu-
nicipal Art Society, etc. He was also
active in politics, as Republican. /:
was chiefly through his efforts that
Congress was persuaded to appropriate
funds for a reservation for a bison
range in Wind Cave Park, South Da-
kota.
He is survived by Mrs. Hooper and
two children, son and daughter.