Bruce Ryburn Payne (1874-1937) was an American educator. He was the founding president of

Peabody College Vanderbilt Peabody College of Education and Human Development (also known as Vanderbilt Peabody College, Peabody College, or simply Peabody) is the education school of Vanderbilt University, a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. ...

(now part of

Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1-million ...

) from 1911 to 1937.

Early life

Bruce Ryburn Payne was born on February 18, 1874, in

Catawba County, North Carolina Catawba County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 160,610. Its county seat is Newton, and its largest city is Hickory. The county is part of the Hickory–Lenoir– Morganton, NC Metropo ...

. His father, Jordan Nathaniel Payne, was a Methodist minister and teacher. His mother was Barbara Anne Eliza Warlick. Payne was educated at the Patton School in

Morganton, North Carolina Morganton is a city in and the county seat of Burke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 16,918 at the 2010 census. Morganton is approximately northwest of Charlotte. Morganton is one of the principal cities in the Hick ...

, graduating in 1892. He graduated from

Duke University Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist James ...

in 1896. He received a master's degree from Duke University in 1902 and a PhD from

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

in 1904.

Career

Payne taught at the Morganton Academy from 1896 to 1899, when he became superintendent for the county. He taught Latin and Greek at Durham High School in Durham, North Carolina, from 1899 to 1902. Payne taught philosophy at the

College of William & Mary The College of William & Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, abbreviated as William & Mary, W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William III ...

from 1904 to 1905. He taught at the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...

from 1905 to 1911. While he was at UVA, he created the summer school. Payne served as the founding President of

Nashville Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...

from 1911 to 1937. He raised funds for the construction of the buildings and hired the initial faculty. He used the telephone to communicate with faculty and staff.

Personal life

Payne married Lula Carr on December 7, 1897. They had a son, Maxwell Carr Payne.

Death and legacy

Payne died of a heart attack on April 21, 1937, in Nashville, Tennessee. His funeral was conducted by Methodist Bishop Costen Jordan Harrell, and he was buried at the Mount Olivet Cemetery on April 23, 1937. In 1957, Peabody College dedicated a building on the north end of its campus to Dr. Payne, now called Payne Hall. Decades later, in 1979, Peabody College was acquired by

Bibliography

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Payne, Bruce Ryburn 1874 births 1937 deaths People from Catawba County, North Carolina Duke University alumni College of William & Mary faculty University of Virginia faculty Vanderbilt University faculty Heads of universities and colleges in the United States Burials at Mount Olivet Cemetery (Nashville) People from Morganton, North Carolina