John Daniel Runkle (October 11, 1822 – July 8, 1902) was a
U.S. educator and
mathematician. He served as acting president of
MIT from 1868–70 and president between 1870 and 1878.
Biography
Professor Runkle was born at
Root,
New York State. He worked on his father's farm until he was of age, and then studied and taught until he entered the
Lawrence Scientific School of
Harvard University, where he graduated in 1851. His ability as a mathematician led in 1849 to his appointment as assistant in the preparation of the ''American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac'', in which he continued to engage until 1884. He was
professor of mathematics in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1865 until his retirement in 1902. Runkle become aware of the work of
Victor Della-Vos Victor Karlovich Della-Vos (1829–1890) was a Russian educationalist and proponent of manual training.
Della-Vos graduated from Moscow University in 1853 with a degree in physical and mathematical sciences and soon embarked on his teaching career. ...
's work in
Russia at the
Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition in 1876, he was impressed by the combination of theoretical and practical learning. Manual training was introduced into the institute
curriculum largely at his instance. He founded the ''Mathematical Monthly'' in 1859 and continued its publication until 1861, and he had charge of the astronomical department of the ''Illustrated Pilgrim's Almanac''.
In the town of
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 ...
, Runkle was a chairman of the School Committee and an early advocate of mathematics and technical education. He received an
LL.D from
Wesleyan University, in
Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States, Located along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, it is south of Hartford, Connecticut, Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated by English settler ...
Works
* ''New Tables for Determining the Values of Coefficients in the Perturbative Function of Planetary Motion'' (Washington, 1856)
* ''The Manual Element in Education'' (1882), reprinted from the ''Reports'' of the
Massachusetts Board of Education
* ''Report on Industrial Education'' (1883)
* ''Elements of Plane and Solid Analytic Geometry'' (Boston, 1888)
Memorials
John D. Runkle School, an elementary school located at 50 Druce Street in Brookline, was established in his name in 1897.
Family
His brother, Cornelius A. Runkle (9 December 1832 in
Montgomery County, New York–19 March 1888 in
New York City) graduated from
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School (Harvard Law or HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest continuously operating law school in the United States.
Each class ...
in 1855, and began practice in New York City. He was subsequently made deputy collector and given charge of the law division of the New York Custom House. This rendered him familiar with the legal questions involved in tariff and internal revenue litigation, and resulted in his devoting himself largely to that class of business. For about twenty-five years, he acted as counsel for the ''
New York Tribune
The ''New-York Tribune'' was an American newspaper founded in 1841 by editor Horace Greeley. It bore the moniker ''New-York Daily Tribune'' from 1842 to 1866 before returning to its original name. From the 1840s through the 1860s it was the domi ...
'' association. Cornelius's wife, Lucia Isabella Gilbert Runkle (born in
North Brookfield, Massachusetts on August 20, 1844), was an editorial writer and contributor to the ''Tribune''.
Notes
References
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Runkle, John Daniel
Presidents of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology School of Science faculty
American science writers
People from Montgomery County, New York
People from Brookline, Massachusetts
Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences alumni
Wesleyan University people
1822 births
1902 deaths
School board members in Massachusetts