Elmer Ellsworth Brown (1861–1934) was an American educator.

Biography

Born at Kiantone in

Chautauqua County, New York Chautauqua County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 127,657. Its county seat is Mayville, and its largest city is Jamestown. Its name is believed to be the lone surviving rem ...

, Elmer Ellsworth Brown studied at

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), graduated from Illinois State Normal University in 1881 and at the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

(A.B., 1889); then he studied in Germany and received a Ph.D. from the

University of Halle Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (), also referred to as MLU, is a public research university in the cities of Halle and Wittenberg. It is the largest and oldest university in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. MLU offers German and i ...

in 1890. He married Fanny Fosten Eddy on June 29, 1889. He was principal of public schools in

Belvidere, Illinois Belvidere is a city in and the county seat of Boone County, Illinois, United States. It is settled on the Kishwaukee River in far northern Illinois. Known as the 'City of Murals', Belvidere is home to several public art installations througho ...

, in 1881-84, assistant state secretary of the

YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It has nearly 90,000 staff, some 920,000 volunteers and 12,000 branches w ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

(1884–87), and principal of the high school at

Jackson, Michigan Jackson is a city in Jackson County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The population was 31,309 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located along Interstate 94 in Michigan, Interstate 94 and U.S. Route 127 in Michigan, U.S ...

, in 1890–91. He taught education at the University of Michigan (1891–93) and at the

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...

(1893–1906). After directing the reorganization of the United States Bureau of Education as

U.S. Commissioner of Education The Commissioner of Education was the title given to the head of the federal Office of Education, which was historically a unit within and originally assigned to the Department of the Interior in the United States. The position was created on March ...

(1906–11), he became chancellor of New York University, where he founded

NYU Press New York University Press (or NYU Press) is a university press that is part of New York University. History NYU Press was founded in 1916 by the then chancellor of NYU, Elmer Ellsworth Brown. Directors * Arthur Huntington Nason, 1916–193 ...

in 1916 "to publish contributions to higher learning by eminent scholars." He was made fellow of the

American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (The Academy) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and other ...

and vice president of the education section in 1907. He led the Andiron Club from 1916 to 1922 and was associated with the Eucleian Society. Brown retired from NYU in 1933 and died in 1934 in New York.

Works

His works include: *''The Making of Our Middle Schools'' (1903). *''The Origin of American State Universities'' (1905). *''Government by Influences, and Other Addresses'' (1909). *''An Efficient Organization and Enlarged Scope for the Bureau of Education'' (1910). *''A Few Remarks'' (1933).

Notes

Sources

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External links

*
NYU University ArchivesElmer Ellsworth Brown Papers
New York University Archives at New York University Special Collections {{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Elmer Ellsworth 1861 births 1934 deaths Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Illinois State University alumni New York University alumni People from Chautauqua County, New York Chancellors and presidents of New York University United States Bureau of Education people University of California, Berkeley faculty University of Halle alumni University of Michigan alumni University of Michigan faculty