David Richard Porter (1882–1973) was a major figure in the

Young Men's Christian Association YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London, originally ...

(YMCA) during the height of the organization's popularity and influence on American high school and college campuses. Porter was Executive Secretary of the 'Student YMCA' (the organization's Student Division) from 1915 to 1934, a period when the role of YMCA was expanding beyond bible study groups to embrace community work, a trajectory Porter encouraged. Born in

Old Town, Maine Old Town is a city in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 7,431 at the 2020 census. The city's developed area is chiefly located on the relatively large Marsh Island, though its boundaries extend beyond that. The island i ...

, Porter graduated from

Bangor High School Bangor High School, a member of the Bangor School System, is a high school in Bangor, Maine, United States. It has an enrollment of approximately 1,200 students in grades 9–12. It is Bangor's only public high school. Since its 2001–2002 sel ...

in nearby Bangor. He attended

Bowdoin College Bowdoin College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine. When Bowdoin was chartered in 1794, Maine was still a part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The college offers 34 majors and 36 minors, as well as several joint eng ...

where, according to ''Time'' magazine, he "first won fame by catching a Harvard kickoff behind his own goal line, running it back 107 yards for a touchdown.". In 1904, he became the first student from Maine awarded a

Rhodes Scholarship The Rhodes Scholarship is an international postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford, in the United Kingdom. Established in 1902, it is the oldest graduate scholarship in the world. It is considered among the world' ...

, and sailed to Oxford with the original group of American Rhodes scholarship-holders. Porter read history at

Trinity College, Oxford (That which you wish to be secret, tell to nobody) , named_for = The Holy Trinity , established = , sister_college = Churchill College, Cambridge , president = Dame Hilary Boulding , location = Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BH , coordinates ...

, graduating in 1907, and returning to the US to join the executive leadership of YMCA, then a major evangelical association with hundreds of local chapters. Porter served from 1907 to 1915 as Secretary of YMCA's International Committee for Secondary Schools, before taking over the Student Division (which also included the college chapters) in 1915. Porter also headed the Bible Department at the exclusive Mount Hermon School for Boys in

Northfield, Massachusetts Northfield is a New England town, town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. Northfield was first settled in 1673. The population was 2,866 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts ...

, becoming its Headmaster in 1935 when his predecessor, Elliott Speer, was murdered. He remained active in the leadership of YMCA until 1947, and was the author of several books on religion. Porter died at his home in

Abingdon, England Abingdon-on-Thames ( ), commonly known as Abingdon, is a historic market town and civil parish in the ceremonial county of Oxfordshire, England, on the River Thames. Historically the county town of Berkshire, since 1974 Abingdon has been admini ...

, where he had retired.''New York Times'', ibid His papers, dealing primarily with his YMCA service, are preserved at the

Yale University Library The Yale University Library is the library system of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Originating in 1701 with the gift of several dozen books to a new "Collegiate School," the library's collection now contains approximately 14.9 milli ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Porter, David Richard 1882 births People from Bangor, Maine People from Old Town, Maine Bowdoin College alumni Alumni of Trinity College, Oxford American religious leaders American Christian writers 1973 deaths American Rhodes Scholars YMCA leaders Bangor High School (Maine) alumni