Eben S. Stearns (1819–1887) was an American educator. He served as the President of

Framingham State University Framingham State University (Framingham State or FSU) is a public university in Framingham, Massachusetts. It offers undergraduate programs as well as Graduate school, graduate programs, including MBA, MEd, and Master of Science, MS. History As ...

from 1849 to 1855, and as the Chancellor of the

University of Nashville University of Nashville was a private university in Nashville, Tennessee. It was established in 1806 as Cumberland College. It existed as a distinct entity until 1909; operating at various times a medical school, a four-year military college, a ...

and President

Peabody Normal School The Peabody Education Fund was established by George Peabody in 1867, after the American Civil War, for the purpose of promoting "intellectual, moral, and industrial education in the most destitute portion of the Southern States" except schools fo ...

(which later merged with

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 1875 to 1887.

Early life

Eben Sperry Stearns was born on December 23, 1819, in

Bedford, Massachusetts Bedford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population of Bedford was 14,383 at the time of the 2020 United States Census. History ''The following compilation comes from Ellen Abrams (1999) based on information ...

. His father was a

Congregational Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...

minister. Stearns enrolled at

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

in 1841, where he received a master of arts degree in 1845. He received a Doctor of Divinity and a Doctor of Laws from other universities.

Career

Stearns began his career as a teacher in an all girls' seminary in

Ipswich, Massachusetts Ipswich is a coastal town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,785 at the 2020 census. Home to Willowdale State Forest and Sandy Point State Reservation, Ipswich includes the southern part of Plum Island. A reside ...

. He went on to teach in West Newton,

Newburyport, Massachusetts Newburyport is a coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, northeast of Boston. The population was 18,289 at the 2020 census. A historic seaport with vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island. The mo ...

, and

Portland, Maine Portland is the largest city in the U.S. state of Maine and the seat of Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 in April 2020. The Greater Portland metropolitan area is home to over half a million people, the 104th-largest metropol ...

. Stearns served as the President of

from 1849 to 1855. Stearns served as the Chancellor of the

and President of the Peabody Normal School from 1875 to 1887. Under his leadership, the school attendance grew from 13 to 179 students. In 1885, he authored ''Historical Sketch of the Normal College, at Nashville, Tennessee''.

Personal life

Stearns was married, and he had children.

Death and legacy

Stearns died on April 11, 1887, in Nashville, Tennessee. His funeral was held by an Episcopal pastor in Nashville, and he was buried in Bedford, Massachusetts. Meanwhile, he was replaced as Chancellor of the University of Nashville and President of the Peabody Normal School by William H. Payne. A year after his death, in 1888, his portrait by Geo Drury was donated to the Peabody Normal College.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stearns, Eben S. People from Bedford, Massachusetts People from Nashville, Tennessee Harvard University alumni Framingham State University faculty Heads of universities and colleges in the United States 1819 births 1887 deaths