Evening star., 1940-03-07
Dr.. John H. Finley,
Educator and Editor,
Dies in Sleep al Is
Had Been Thought
Recovered From
Recent Operation
Star Staff Photo.
By the Associated Press,

NEW YORK, March 7.-Dr. John
H. Finley, educator and editor emer-
titus of the New York Times, died
in his sleep early today.
DR.. Finley, who was rs, recently
underwent an operation for hernia
in the Columbia Presbyterian Med
ical Center, but his rugged physique
apparently brought about a quick
recovery. He returned to his home
at l Lexington avenue about three
weeks ago. 1t was there he was
found dead at am today.
DR.. Finley was an educator by
virtue of inherited talent but pre-
ferred to be an editor. He alter
mated between the two fields
through most of his mature life,
having been president of Knox COL
lege. the College of the City Of New
York and New York State commits
sioner of education when he wasn't
directing magazines or writing edi-
torials for newspapers.
Was Irish by Descent.
He was born at Grand Ridge, La
Sale County, ILL.,, on October 10,
1868, the son Of James G. and Lydia
Margaret McCombs Finley and nth
in descent from the Rev. James Fin
ley, who came from Ireland in 1884.
He went through the high school at
Ottawa, ILL.,, then entered Knox Col
lege.
1t was at Knox that he acquired
his liking for journalism, for he
earned most of his way by sticking
type" in Galesburg newspaper
plant. After graduation from Knox
IN 1887 he entered Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, as a student
IN history, economics and politics
with the idea of fitting himself for
editorial work. In 1891 he was
elected president of Knox, only four
years after his graduation from the
school. Starting with the scholastic
year 1923 he directed the college
for seven years.
He left Knox to take an editorial
position with the S. S. Mcclure Co.
in New York and edited Harper,s
Weekly, but after a year went to
Princeton as first occupant of a new
chair in politics. He taught there
until 1908, when he was elected pres
ident of the College of the City of
New York. Ten years later he was
chosen commissioner of education of
the State of New York, a post which
he held until January /, 1921, when
he Joined the editorial stan of the
New York Times, later, in 1887, be-
coming editor in chief of that
paper. On November Is, 1888, he
was made editor emeritus.
Served in Other Posts.
There were some notable inter-
ludes in this record. He served on
the 1884 board of arbitration in
the Eastern railway controversy,
headed a World War educational
commission to France in 1917. and
in 1918 and 1919 was head of the
American Red Cross work in Pal
estine and the Near East.
Foreign governments which deco
rated him included Japan, France,
Italy, Serbia, Poland, Lithuania, Fin
land, Norway, Denmark, Sweden,
Greece, Czecho-Slovakia. He was
past president Of the American So
cial Science Association and of the
National Child Welfare Association.
was long member of the National
Council Of the Boy Scouts of Amer
lea and vice president of the Boy
Scouts of Scotland.
DR.. Finley was married June 10,
1892, to Martha Ford Boyden of
Sheffield, Ill. Two sons and two
daughters were born to them.
Through the years DR.. Finley was
in constant demand as speaker at
college commencements, social and
economic conventions, historical
gatherings and similar events. On
the platform he was notable for
forcefulness and clarity and for his
loyalty to the calling which he pre-
ferred above others-newspaper
work.
Since I have become a journal
ist." he once told q Brown Univer-
sity convocation, II find that not
even q research professor is more
eager to know the truth or more
eager to tell 1t than an editor and
I find, too, that the editor usually Is
much better able to tell the truth
than the research professor because
he knows how to speak to the ordi-
nary mind"