John Cranford Adams (October 11, 1903 - November 24, 1986) was an American educator and academic administrator who served as the second president of the

Hofstra University Hofstra University is a private university in Hempstead, New York. It is Long Island's largest private university. Hofstra originated in 1935 as an extension of New York University (NYU) under the name Nassau College – Hofstra Memorial of Ne ...

from 1944–1964.

Biography

Adams was born October 11, 1903 to John Davis and Mary (Cranford) Adams. He attended

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...

, where he was a member of the

Quill and Dagger Quill and Dagger is a senior honor society at Cornell University. It is often recognized as one of the most prominent societies of its type, along with Skull and Bones and Scroll and Key at Yale University. In 1929, ''The New York Times'' stated t ...

society and received a B.A. in 1926 and a Ph.D. in 1935. He also studied at

King's College, Cambridge King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Formally The King's College of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge, the college lies beside the River Cam and faces out onto King's Parade in the centre of the city ...

, England from 1926-28. He was an instructor in English at

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...

from 1926 to 1928 and at

Cornell Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...

from 1930-37. He taught at Cornell from 1937 to 1944, first as assistant professor and then associate professor. He was named the second President of

in 1944. During his 20 years tenure at

Hofstra Hofstra University is a private university in Hempstead, New York. It is Long Island's largest private university. Hofstra originated in 1935 as an extension of New York University (NYU) under the name Nassau College – Hofstra Memorial of New ...

, the school grew from a small liberal arts college of 367 students to a major university with an enrollment of 9,000. The campus theater John Cranford Adams Playhouse and the John Cranford Adams Chair in Literature are named in his honor.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Adams, John Cranford Cornell University alumni Alumni of King's College, Cambridge Hofstra University faculty Syracuse University faculty Presidents of Hofstra University 1903 births 1986 deaths Educators from Massachusetts 20th-century American academics