William C. Young
William C. Young | |
---|---|
8th President of Centre College | |
In office September 5, 1888 – September 16, 1896 | |
Preceded by | Ormond Beatty |
Succeeded by | William C. Roberts |
Personal details | |
Born | Danville, Kentucky, US | April 23, 1842
Died | September 16, 1896 Danville, Kentucky, US | (aged 54)
Resting place | Bellevue Cemetery (Danville, Kentucky) |
Spouse |
Lucy Waller
(m. 1874; died 1896) |
Parent(s) | Danville Theological Seminary (DD , 1865) |
William Clarke Young (April 23, 1842 – September 16, 1896) was an American minister, educator, and academic administrator who was the eighth president of
Early life and education
William C. Young was born on April 23, 1842, in
Career
After his graduation from seminary, Clarke was a pastor for 23 years in numerous locations,
Young took over a group of six faculty members,
Multiple buildings were also constructed on campus around this time, including the Boyle-Humphrey Gymnasium in 1891, the Breckinridge Hall dormitory (named for Robert Jefferson Breckinridge) in 1892, and a new Sayre Library in 1894.[10] In June 1891, he made a request of the trustees that the college build an additional building for "scientific work", which would eventually be dedicated in 1909 and named Young Memorial Hall, in memory of William and his father, John.[3] During his time at Centre, Young was supportive of the college's athletic programs. He wrote to the college's trustees in 1892 that sports would be "undoubtedly beneficial to the students" if properly controlled, but "[would] provide a nuisance and work evil to all" if not restricted by "stringent rules".[13] Under Young's leadership, Centre awarded degrees to some of its first female graduates, albeit retroactively.[14] All four of Young's half-sisters had studied at Centre and completed coursework (Mary and Caroline in 1849, and Jane and Frances in 1851), though none of them received degrees at the time.[2] As a result, Mary, Caroline, and Jane, the three surviving sisters, were formally awarded Bachelor of Arts degrees by the college in 1891.[14] Additionally, Leila McKee, one of the first two women to graduate from Centre in 1877, was awarded an honorary Ph.D. by the school the following year.[15] Centre's endowment rose to US$265,000 and the school added three professorships during his presidency.[3][16]
In 1892, Young was the moderator of the Presbyterian Church General Assembly, held in Portland, Oregon.[17] This was the same position to which his father was elected for the 1853 General Assembly, held in Philadelphia.[18] Young's performance as moderator was widely praised, with compliments given to his "courage and tact and impartiality".[14] The General Assembly was a particularly eventful one, as it included the church's formal denunciation of historical criticism and the heresy trial of Charles Augustus Briggs.[14][19]
Personal life and death
Young married Lucy Waller in 1874, though Waller was in poor health for much of their marriage, which limited the amount of time they were able to spend together.[3]
Young suffered from poor health for much of the last two years of his life, and attempted to visit various resorts during this time in an attempt to find relief from his ailments, though these efforts were unsuccessful.[6] Young died suddenly at 10:15 a.m. on September 17, 1896, just after concluding an address to Centre students in the college's chapel.[6] He was preparing to hear the students' recitations when he retired to the office of professor Alfred B. Nelson, laid back in his chair and "gave a gasp" before dying.[6] His cause of death was ultimately determined to be a heart attack.[1] He was buried with his wife, who had died just months before him,[3] in Danville's Bellevue Cemetery, adjacent to his father's grave.[3]
John C. Fales, a long-time faculty member and the professor of natural science at Centre for much of Young's presidency, became president pro tempore following Young's death and occupied that position for a portion of the remainder of 1896.[20] Young was formally succeeded by William C. Roberts, who assumed the presidency on June 7, 1898.[20]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "William C. Young, Centre College President (1888–1896)". CentreCyclopedia. Centre College. Archived from the original on May 4, 2022. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
- ^ a b "John C. Young's Children". CentreCyclopedia. Centre College. Archived from the original on February 26, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Johnson, Diane (2015). "The Story Behind the Name: Young Hall". Centrepiece. Centre College. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
- ^ Weston 2019, p. 76.
- ^ Craig 1967, p. 33.
- ^ .
- ^ Lewis 1899, p. 121.
- ^ a b c Craig 1967, p. 43.
- ^ a b Craig 1967, p. 41.
- ^ a b Weston 2019, p. 50.
- OCLC 34313462.
- ^ Hill 2009, p. 41.
- ^ "Men's Athletics". CentreCyclopedia. Centre College. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Weston 2019, p. 51.
- ^ Weston 2019, p. 52.
- ^ Hill 2009, p. 42.
- from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
- ^ The Presbyterian: Published Daily as a Reporter of the Proceedings of the General Assembly. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: William S. Martien & Company. May 21, 1853. p. 13. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
- .
- ^ a b "Presidents". CentreCyclopedia. Centre College. Archived from the original on April 6, 2022. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
Bibliography
- Craig, Hardin (October 1967). Centre College of Kentucky: A Tradition and an Opportunity. OCLC 856258.
- Hill, Bob (2009). Hardin, C. Thomas (ed.). Our Standard Sure: Centre College since 1819. OCLC 457778960.
- Lewis, Alvin Fayette (1899). Adams, Herbert B. (ed.). History of Higher Education in Kentucky (25 ed.). OCLC 4147564.
- Weston, William J. (2019). Centre College: a Bicentennial History. OCLC 1142930784.