Harper, William Rainey

William Rainey (1856-1906), the first president of Chicago University. He was born at New Concord, Ohio, July 26, 1856. He died in 1906. He was a remarkably precocious student. He was graduated at the early age of fourteen at Muskingum College. He held various educational positions, including the professor-ship of Hebrew in Union Theological Seminary, Chicago, and of Semitic languages and Biblical literature in Yale. In connection with his professorships, he edited various Hebrew publications and did noted work in Biblical criticism. In 1891 he was chosen president of Chicago University. He took charge of a stretch of open prairie. He left over thirty well designed buildings. He assembled faculties noted for scholarship and organization-the third largest university in North America. John D. Rockefeller furnished most of the money. William R. Harper supplied the ideas or else hunted up men who could furnish them. By general consent he is ranked as one of the leading college presidents.