Harlan Page Amen (; April 14, 1853 – November 9, 1913) was an American

educator A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. w ...

and the seventh

principal Principal may refer to: Title or rank * Principal (academia), the chief executive of a university ** Principal (education), the head of a school * Principal (civil service) or principal officer, the senior management level in the UK Civil Ser ...

Phillips Exeter Academy Phillips Exeter Academy (often called Exeter or PEA) is an Independent school, independent, co-educational, college-preparatory school in Exeter, New Hampshire. Established in 1781, it is America's sixth-oldest boarding school and educates an es ...

Biography

Harlan Amen was born in

Sinking Spring, Ohio Sinking Spring is a village in Highland County, Ohio, United States. The population was 118 at the 2020 census. History A post office called Sinking Spring has been in operation since 1817. The village was named for a losing stream near the or ...

, in April 1853, to Daniel and Sarah J. (Barber) Amen. He was born into a poor family, and had to make an earning working as a clerk at a bookstore. He attended high school in

Portsmouth, Ohio Portsmouth is a city in Scioto County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Located in southern Ohio south of Chillicothe, Ohio, Chillicothe, it lies on the north bank of the Ohio River, across from Kentucky and just east of the mouth of th ...

, then attended Exeter, where he befriended his roommate and future president of

Bowdoin College Bowdoin College ( ) is a Private college, private liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine. It was chartered in 1794. The main Bowdoin campus is located near Casco Bay and the Androscoggin River. In a ...

William De Witt Hyde William De Witt Hyde (September 23, 1858 – June 29, 1917) was an American educator and academic administrator who served as the president of Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, for thirty-two years, from 1885 to his death in 1917. Biography B ...

, entering in 1871. He sustained himself during his education by working as a tutor, among other jobs. In his senior year, he was awarded the $120 Gordon scholarship. He then went on to

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 ...

, graduating in 1879. Immediately after graduating, he began work at Riverview Military Academy in

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 ...

, where he became principal. He took a four month leave in 1892 to visit prestigious

public schools Public school may refer to: *Public school (government-funded), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government *Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging private schools in England and Wales *Great Public Schools, ...

in England, including

Eton Eton most commonly refers to Eton College, a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. Eton may also refer to: Places *Eton, Berkshire, a town in Berkshire, England *Eton, Georgia, a town in the United States *Éton, a commune in the Meuse depa ...

Harrow Harrow may refer to: Places * Harrow, Victoria, Australia * Harrow, Ontario, Canada * The Harrow, County Wexford, a village in Ireland * London Borough of Harrow, England * Harrow, London, a town in London * Harrow (UK Parliament constituency) * ...

Rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby union: 15 players per side *** American flag rugby *** Beach rugby *** Mini rugby *** Rugby sevens, 7 players per side *** Rugby tens, 10 players per side *** Snow rugby *** Tou ...

, and

St Paul's St Paul's Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London in the Church of Engl ...

. In 1895, he became the principal of Exeter. Under Amen's leadership, the size of student body, the faculty body, and the enrollment tripled. Dormitories Soule Hall, Peabody Hall, Hoyt Hall and Webster Hall were built. Alumni Hall, the first dedicated dining hall, was built in 1903 and has since been renovated to house the Mayer Art Center and the

Lamont Gallery The Lamont Gallery is a non-profit art gallery located on the campus of Phillips Exeter Academy, in Exeter, New Hampshire, United States. It primarily showcases visiting exhibitions of local, national and international acclaimed artists, along wit ...

. The library, previously housed in the Academy Building, was moved to the Davis Library, funds for which were willed by Benjamin Price Davis '62 in 1907. During his time at Exeter, he was also involved in the founding of

Fessenden School The Fessenden School is an independent day (Pre-K – Grade 9) and boarding school (Grades 6 – 9) for boys, founded in 1903 by Frederick J. Fessenden as a school for the intellectually gifted, and located at 250 Waltham Street, West Newton ...

, encouraging the founder, Frederick Fessenden, to purchase the plot of land on which the school sits. He remained principal until his death in October 1913. Amen was married to Mary Brown Rawson on April 5, 1882, with whom he had one son, John Harlen Amen, a lawyer and the Nuremberg Prison Chief interrogator, and three daughters: Margaret R., Elizabeth W. and R. Perne Amen. He was awarded an honorary

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) 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. Those admitted to the degree have ...

degree by

Williams College Williams College is a Private college, private liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established as a men's college in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim ...

in 1886, and a

Doctor of Letters Doctor of Letters (D.Litt., Litt.D., Latin: ' or '), also termed Doctor of Literature in some countries, is a terminal degree in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. In the United States, at universities such as Drew University, the degree ...

degree by

Dartmouth College Dartmouth College ( ) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, Dartmouth is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the America ...

in 1911. He died on November 9, 1913, in

Exeter Exeter ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and the county town of Devon in South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. In Roman Britain, Exeter w ...

, and was a

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

. Amen Hall at Exeter is named for him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Amen, Harlan Phillips Exeter Academy alumni Phillips Exeter Academy faculty 19th-century American educators Harvard University alumni 1853 births 1913 deaths