Henry Noble MacCracken (November 19, 1880 – May 7, 1970) was an American academic administrator who was the fifth president of

Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States. The college be ...

Poughkeepsie, New York Poughkeepsie ( ) is a city within the Poughkeepsie (town), New York, Town of Poughkeepsie, New York (state), New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, New York, Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsie i ...

, serving from 1915 to 1946 as the first secular president of the college. MacCracken's term as president of Vassar College is the longest in the college's history.

Early life

MacCracken was born in

Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in Lucas County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located at the western end of Lake Erie along the Maumee River. Toledo is the List of cities in Ohio, fourth-most populous city in Ohio and List of United Sta ...

on November 19, 1880, to Henry Mitchell MacCracken. Henry's brother was John Henry MacCracken, president (1915–26) of

Lafayette College Lafayette College is a private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Easton, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter and other citizens in Easton, the college first held classes in 18 ...

. In 1900, MacCracken earned an English degree from

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...

(NYU). After graduation, he joined the faculty of Syrian Protestant College in Beirut for three years before coming back to NYU for graduate study. After completing a master's degree in English at NYU, he earned an additional MA and a Ph.D. from

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

. On June 12, 1907, MacCracken married Marjorie Dodd. His son, Calvin Dodd MacCracken, was a noted inventor. In 1920, he and his wife joined Henry Seidel Canby, and other friends in founding Yelping Hill Association, a community in northwestern CT.

Career

MacCracken was president of Vassar from 1915 to 1946. A proponent of

women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the women's rights, right of women to Suffrage, vote in elections. Several instances occurred in recent centuries where women were selectively given, then stripped of, the right to vote. In Sweden, conditional women's suffra ...

and liberal political views in general, MacCracken was fired for holding such beliefs in 1918. However, three trustees resigned and students protested, so MacCracken was returned to his position. In the 1920s, MacCracken was involved in the founding of

Sarah Lawrence College Sarah Lawrence College (SLC) is a Private university, private liberal arts college in Yonkers, New York, United States. Founded as a Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in 1926, Sarah Lawrence College has been coeducational ...

, which was initially a women's junior college affiliated with Vassar. A residence hall named after MacCracken was completed in 1930. He was on the board of trustees of the college until its affiliation with Vassar was severed in 1935.

Later life

MacCracken died on May 7, 1970, at his home, 87 New Hackensack Road, in

. His wife, Marjorie Dodd MacCracken died in 1974.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:MacCracken, Henry 1880 births 1970 deaths People from Toledo, Ohio New York University alumni Harvard University alumni Smith College faculty Presidents of Vassar College Commanders of the Order of the White Lion 20th-century American academics