Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Scots and education - a short list of colleges and universities

Scottish people have always been interested in education.  Scotland has great universities and colleges with a long record of history and achievements.  Scottish immigrants brought this same interest to America, especially through the ministry of the Presbyterian church.

Duncan Bruce in his book The Mark of the Scot, reports that between 1726 and 1837, "Presbyterians founded at least sixty-five rudimentary academics, which were sometimes called log colleges."  I recently wrote about James Holmes McGuffey and how his book dramatically changed education in his time.  His books were filled with stories from the Bible.

The University of North Carolina was founded and nurtured by Scots in 1793 as were the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University.

James Blair, born in Edinburgh, was the chief Founder and first President of William and Mary College.

Samuel Fnley, graduate of Glasgow University in 1763, was President of the College of New Jersey and one of the ancestors of Samuel Finley Breese Morse, inventor of the Morse System.

William Graham, first President of Washington College, now known as Washington and Lee University.

Thomas Craighed, first President of Davidson Academy, now the University of Nashville.

Joseph Caldwell is considered the Founder and first President of the University of North Carolina.

Charles Macalister was Founder of Macalister College in Minneapolis.

This is only a partial list of colleges and universities founded and nurtured by Scots.

In coming days, I hope to write about Illinois schools that started as a result of Scottish influence.

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