John Barlow (November 27, 1872 – November 26, 1944) was an American

entomologist Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as arach ...

and

college administrator Academic administration is a branch of university or college employees responsible for the maintenance and supervision of the institution and separate from the faculty or academics, although some personnel may have joint responsibilities. Some t ...

. For 35 years, he was the chairman of the Zoology Department of

Rhode Island State College The University of Rhode Island (URI) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Kingston, Rhode Island, United States. It is the flagship public research as well as the land-grant university of the state of Rhode Island ...

and was twice (1930–31 and 1940–41) interim president of the college.

Early life and education

John Barlow was born in

Amenia, New York Amenia is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 4,436 at the 2010 census. The town is on the eastern border of the county. History Amenia is one of the original towns formed by act of March 7, 1788. It compris ...

, on November 27, 1872, to Henry Barlow and Helen Cythera (Benton) Barlow. He studied biology at

Middlebury College Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalists, Middlebury was the first operating college or university in Vermont. The college currently enrolls 2,858 undergraduates from all ...

, earning a B.A. degree in 1895, and he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa that same year. He earned his M.A. in biology from

Brown University Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...

in 1896. After several years of teaching and research, he was awarded D.Sc. degree by Middlebury College in 1932.

Professional career

After a short time as an assistant biologist at the Rhode Island Agricultural Experiment Station in 1897-98, Barlow assumed a faculty position teaching biology at

Fairmount College Fairmount College (1872 – 1917/18), also known as Fairmount Female College and Fairmount School for Girls, was an American private college for Single-sex education, females. It was located at Fairmont and College Streets in Monteagle, Tennessee ...

in Wichita, Kansas, from 1898 to 1901. Barlow returned to Kingston, Rhode Island, to stay in 1902 when he accepted the positions of Professor of Zoology and chairman of the Department of Zoology at the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. He remained as chairman of the Zoology Department for over 35 years. He was a respected entomologist who had built up the entomological collections of the college and was known to his students as "Buggy Barlow". In 1930, he was named Vice-President and Dean of Men near the end of the presidency of Howard Edwards. In 1931, he added the title of Dean of the School of Science and Business to his portfolio. During this period, he was appointed for two terms as interim president from April 1930 to March 1931 and again from March 1940 to October 1941 when another presidential vacancy with the resignation of Raymond Bressler. Barlow officially retired from the college on his seventieth birthday, November 27, 1942, and he died on November 26, 1944, at Baptist Hospital in

Brookline, Massachusetts Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, in the United States, and part of the Greater Boston, Boston metropolitan area. Brookline borders six of Boston's neighborhoods: Brighton, Boston, Brighton, A ...

Family and legacy

Barlow was married to Caroline Miller Barlow (1891-1979). His son, John Peleg Barlow (1918–1985), was an oceanographer at Cornell University and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Barlow Hall, a residence hall on the campus of the University of Rhode Island, was named for Barlow.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Barlow, John 1872 births 1944 deaths American entomologists Presidents of the University of Rhode Island Brown University Graduate School alumni Middlebury College alumni People from Amenia, New York People from South Kingstown, Rhode Island University of Rhode Island faculty Scientists from New York (state)