Charles McKenny (September 15, 1860September 23, 1933) was president of Central State Normal School (now

Central Michigan University Central Michigan University (CMU) is a Public university, public research university in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States. It was established in 1892 as a private normal school and became a state institution in 1895. CMU is one of the eigh ...

), Milwaukee State Normal School (a predecessor of

University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UW–Milwaukee, UWM, or Milwaukee) is a Public university, public Urban university, urban research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It is the largest university in the Milwaukee metropo ...

) and Michigan State Normal College (now

Eastern Michigan University Eastern Michigan University (EMU, EMich, Eastern Michigan or simply Eastern) is a public university, public research university in Ypsilanti, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1849 as the Michigan State Normal School, it was the fourth normal ...

). McKenny was born in Dimondale, Michigan. He received his bachelor's degree in 1881 from Michigan State Agricultural College (now

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State o ...

) and masters from both Olivet College and the

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Uni ...

. McKenny married Minnie E. Alderman (1869–1942) in 1890. She was a native of Vermontville, Michigan. They had three children, Charles Arthur McKenny, Laurence A. McKenny and Marion Louise McKenny. Laurence joined the Army Air Corps during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and was killed in action during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

McKenny begin his career as a teacher at

Charlotte, Michigan Charlotte ( ) is a city and county seat of Eaton County, Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 9,299. Charlotte is in the central portion of the county on the boundary between Eaton Township and Carmel Township but is polit ...

. He then went to teach at Vermontville. In 1895–1896 he was a professor at Olivet College. In 1896 he became principal of Central State Normal School, where he remained as president until 1899. In 1900, he became principal of Milwaukee State Normal School where he remained until 1912. He then took the presidency at the Michigan State Normal College (MSNC), now

. He started his administration at MSNC by instituting rules against female students having "gentleman callers" visit them in their rooms, only allowing them to visit in parlors. He also instituted rules to cut down on automobile and canoe use by female students, especially with males. The student body of MSNC at the time was overwhelmingly female. During his presidency, he proposed and then oversaw the construction of MSNC's student union, named

McKenny Union McKenny Hall, previously called McKenny Union and Charles McKenny Union, was the first student union on the campus of the Michigan State Normal College (now Eastern Michigan University) in Ypsilanti, Michigan. At various times the building has in ...

(now McKenny Hall) in his honor. This was the first student union building built in the United States at an institution of higher learning primarily aimed at training teachers. McKenny remained president of MSNC until April 1933 when he became president emeritus. He died the following September. In 1910 a book by McKenny entitled ''The Personality of the Teacher'' was published.ebay listing of a copy of the book by McKenny
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Sources

archives, papers and find-aid biography of McKenny. * ''Ypsilanti Daily Press'', October 1, 1912

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:McKenny, Charles Presidents of Eastern Michigan University Presidents of Central Michigan University Olivet College alumni Olivet College faculty University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee faculty University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni Michigan State University alumni People from Eaton County, Michigan 1860 births 1933 deaths