Henry Noble MacCracken (November 19, 1880 – May 7, 1970) was an American academic administrator who was the fifth president of

Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States, closely foll ...

Poughkeepsie, New York Poughkeepsie ( ), officially the City of Poughkeepsie, separate from the Town of Poughkeepsie around it) is a city in the U.S. state of New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsi ...

, serving from 1915 to 1946 as the first secular president of the college. MacCracken's term as president of Vassar College is the longest in the college's history.

Early life

MacCracken was born in

Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and according ...

in November 19, 1880, to Henry Mitchell MacCracken. Henry's brother was

John Henry MacCracken John Henry MacCracken (September 30, 1875 – February 1, 1948) was an American academic administrator who served as president of Westminster College and Lafayette College. When he was chosen as president of Westminster College in 1899, MacCrack ...

, president (1915–26) of

Lafayette College Lafayette College is a private liberal arts college in Easton, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter and other citizens in Easton, the college first held classes in 1832. The founders voted to name the college after General Laf ...

. In 1900, MacCracken earned an English degree from

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...

(NYU). After graduation, he joined the faculty of Syrian Protestant College in Beirut for three years before coming back to NYU for graduate study. After completing a master's degree in English, he earned a Ph.D. from

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 high ...

. On June 12, 1907, MacCracken married Marjorie Dodd. His son, Calvin Dodd MacCracken, was a noted inventor.

Career

MacCracken was president of Vassar from 1915 to 1946. A proponent of

women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...

and liberal political views in general, MacCracken was fired for holding such beliefs in 1918. However, three trustees resigned and students protested, so MacCracken was returned to his position. In the 1920s, MacCracken was involved in the founding of Sarah Lawrence College, which was initially a women's junior college affiliated with Vassar. A residence hall named after MacCracken was completed in 1930. He was on the board of trustees of the college until its affiliation with Vassar was severed in 1935.

Later life

MacCracken died on May 7, 1970, at his home, 87 New Hackensack Road, in

. His wife, Marjorie Dodd MacCracken died in 1974.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:MacCracken, Henry 1880 births 1970 deaths People from Toledo, Ohio New York University alumni Harvard University alumni Smith College faculty Presidents of Vassar College Commanders of the Order of the White Lion 20th-century American academics