William Carey Poland (1846–1929) was an American classical scholar, educator, academic administrator, and former university president. He was Professor Emeritus at

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 ...

starting in 1915; and the President of Rhode Island School of Design from 1896 to 1907.

Biography

William Carey Poland was born on January 25, 1846, in Goffstown, New Hampshire. His father was Baptist minister James Willey Poland. Poland attended Brown University, where he received an A.B. degree and an M.A. degree in 1868. He served as the director of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens in 1891. He taught Greek and Latin at Brown University from 1870 to 1890 and taught art history from 1892 to 1915. In 1878, he worked as a private tutor for John Carter Brown's two sons to prepare them for college. Brown's sons John and Harold traveled with Poland to Berlin, Paris, and Cannes to study

classics Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

. When he retired in 1915, he was made Professor Emeritus of Art History. He was the fifth president of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), serving from 1896 to 1907. During his time at RISD, the school acquired Memorial Hall on Benefit Street (in 1903), marking the school's physical expansion beyond a single building. Poland was married to Clara (née Harkness), daughter of

Albert Harkness Albert Harkness (October 6, 1822May 27, 1907) was an American classical scholar and educator. He was professor of Greek at Brown University, and helped found the American Philological Association and the American School of Classical Studies at At ...

, and together they had three sons.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Poland, William Carey 1846 births 1929 deaths People from Goffstown, New Hampshire Brown University alumni Brown University faculty Presidents of the Rhode Island School of Design Educators from Providence, Rhode Island American School of Classical Studies at Athens American classical scholars Classical scholars of Brown University Burials at Swan Point Cemetery