George Hutcheson Denny (December 3, 1870 – April 2, 1955) was an American academic and former president at both

Washington and Lee University , mottoeng = "Not Unmindful of the Future" , established = , type = Private liberal arts university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.092 billion (2021) , president = William C. Dudley , provost = Lena Hill , city = Lexington ...

and the

University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and largest of the publi ...

. Both a football coach and an educator, he ultimately was appointed Washington and Lee's president in 1901, and he remained in that spot until his resignation in 1912 to become president at Alabama. Denny served as president of Alabama from 1912 through 1936 and again as interim president in 1941 and 1942. Denny oversaw a major expansion of both enrollment and the physical campus during his tenure. He died at age 84 on April 2, 1955, in Lexington, Virginia.

Early life

Denny was born on December 3, 1870, in

Hanover County, Virginia Hanover County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 109,979. Its county seat is Hanover Courthouse. Hanover County is a part of the Greater Richmond Region. History Located in the wester ...

to George H. and Charlotte M. Denny.''Alumni Bulletin'', p. 507 He attended Hampden–Sydney College, where he earned his

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...

in 1891 and his

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Th ...

in 1892. In 1896 Denny was awarded his

Doctor of Philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

from the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...

. During his education at University of Virginia, he became a member of the

Sigma Chi Sigma Chi () International Fraternity is one of the largest North American fraternal literary societies. The fraternity has 244 active (undergraduate) chapters and 152 alumni chapters across the United States and Canada and has initiated more t ...

fraternity.

Career

Hampden–Sydney College

After obtaining his doctorate, Denny returned to Hampden–Sydney, where he was a professor of Latin and German from 1896 though 1899. He resigned to become a professor of Latin at

. During his teaching tenure at Hampden–Sydney, Denny served as the head coach of their football team for the 1896 season. For the season, he led the Tigers to home victories over Randolph–Macon and Roanoke and a loss on the road against VPI en route to a record of two wins and one loss (2–1).

Washington and Lee University

Denny started his career at

in 1899 and by 1900 he was appointed as the interim president of the school. In October 1901 the university trustees appointed him as the full-time president of the university. During his tenure as president, Denny oversaw increased enrollment at Washington and Lee, improved facilities and overall finances. He remained in the position of president through the fall of 1911 when he resigned in order to become the 15th president of the

.''Alumni Bulletin'', p. 509

University of Alabama

Denny started his tenure at the University of Alabama in January 1912. During his period in office as university president, Denny oversaw a significant increase in enrollment and construction on-campus. Both Denny Chimes and

Bryant–Denny Stadium Bryant–Denny Stadium is an outdoor stadium in the southeastern United States, on the campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. It is the home field of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Open ...

were named in his honor. He retired as president in 1936, but was later reappointed as interim president from 1941 to 1942.

Later life

After he completed his term as interim president, Denny retired to Lexington, Virginia, in 1943. Denny died on April 2, 1955, at a hospital in Lexington as a result of complications suffered after the amputation of his left leg.

Head coaching record

Football

References

General * Specific

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Denny, George H. 1870 births 1955 deaths American amputees Hampden–Sydney College faculty Hampden–Sydney Tigers football coaches People from Hanover County, Virginia Presidents of the University of Alabama Presidents of Washington and Lee University University of Virginia alumni Washington and Lee University faculty