Marvin Banks Perry Jr. (September 29, 1918 – December 12, 1994) was an American academic and college administrator who served as president of

Goucher College Goucher College ( ') is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Towson, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1885 as a Nonsectarian, nonsecterian Women's colleges in the United States, ...

and

Agnes Scott College Agnes Scott College is a Private university, private Women's Colleges in the Southern United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Decatur, Georgia. The college enrolls approximately 1,000 undergra ...

. He also was a professor of English at

Washington and Lee University Washington and Lee University (Washington and Lee or W&L) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States. Established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, it is among ...

and at the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson and contains his The Lawn, Academical Village, a World H ...

Early life and education

Perry was born on September 29, 1918, in

Powhatan, Virginia Powhatan is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Powhatan County, Virginia, United States. It was initially known as Scottville (after Revolutionary war hero General Charles Scott), and has historically also been known as Powhatan ...

, to Marvin Banks and Elizabeth Gray Perry. He attended the University of Virginia, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1940. Perry went on to attend

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 ...

, from which he graduated with a master's in 1941 and a doctorate in 1950. Perry's dissertation was titled ''Keats and the Poets, 1815–1848: Studies in his Early Vogue as Reflected in the Verse Tributes and Allusions of His Contemporaries,'' and his

doctoral advisor A doctoral advisor (also dissertation director, dissertation advisor; or doctoral supervisor) is a member of a university faculty whose role is to guide graduate students who are candidates for a doctorate, helping them select coursework, as well ...

was Hyder Edward Rollins.

Career

During his studies at Harvard, Perry served as a graduate instructor in English. After earning his doctorate, Perry returned to his alma mater, the University of Virginia, as a professor in English. He simultaneously taught at Washington and Lee University, where he eventually rose to the position of department chair in English. In 1952, he established the Elizabeth Gray and Marvin Banks Perry Memorial Fund at Washington and Lee. In 1967, Perry was appointed to serve as president of Goucher College. His inauguration took place on May 3, 1968. He held this position for six years. In 1973, he resigned from Goucher to serve as president of Agnes Scott College, a position he held until his retirement in 1982.

Later years

Perry died of

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

on December 12, 1994, at the age of 76. At the time of his death, he was residing at the Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge Retirement Home in

Charlottesville, Virginia Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city (United States), independent city in Virginia, United States. It is the county seat, seat of government of Albemarle County, Virginia, Albemarle County, which surrounds the ...

. He was survived by his wife, Ellen, and his children, Elizabeth and Margaret.

Bibliography

* Musser, Frederic O. The History of Goucher College, 1930–1985. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1990.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Perry Jr, Marvin Banks Presidents of Goucher College Harvard University alumni University of Virginia alumni Agnes Scott College faculty Washington and Lee University faculty 1918 births 1994 deaths Deaths from cancer in Virginia