George Woods was the fifth chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh, then called the Western University of Pennsylvania. He served in that capacity from 1858 to 1880.

Biography

Although Woods is generally numbered as Pitt's fifth chancellor, he was actually the first head of the university to have the title "Chancellor" as previously heads of the university were referred to as "Principal", a holdover from the institution's academy days. Woods has been credited with creating the university's endowment, founding the science and engineering programs, and dramatically increasing enrollment. During the early 1850s, Woods, then a resident of Yarmouth, Maine, established the Yarmouth Institute as a direct competitor to the

North Yarmouth Academy North Yarmouth Academy (also known as "NYA") is an independent, co-ed, college preparatory day school serving students from early childhood education to postgraduate. NYA was founded in 1814, in what was then North Yarmouth, Maine, prior to the 184 ...

. Although it attracted students from as far afield as Cuba, his institute lacked a sufficient

endowment Endowment most often refers to: *A term for human penis size It may also refer to: Finance *Financial endowment, pertaining to funds or property donated to institutions or individuals (e.g., college endowment) *Endowment mortgage, a mortgage to b ...

and closed after five years. In 1859, while serving in his new role at the University of Pittsburgh, a lawsuit involving his dispute with NYA precipitated the split in Yarmouth's First Parish Church.''Images of America: Yarmouth'', Alan M. Hall (Arcadia, 2002), p.17

Personal life

Woods' father was an abolitionist in Yarmouth, Maine.

References

;Specific ;General * {{DEFAULTSORT:Woods, George Chancellors of the University of Pittsburgh Year of death missing Year of birth missing People from Yarmouth, Maine