Henry Louis Smith (July 30, 1859 – February 27, 1951) was an American academic administrator, educator, and physicist. He was president of

Davidson College Davidson College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina, United States. It was established in 1837 by the Concord Presbytery and named after American Revolutiona ...

and of

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 ...

. He was a pioneer in the use of the X-ray machine and psychological warfare.

Early life

Smith was born on July 30, 1859 in

Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro (; ) is a city in Guilford County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 299,035; it was estimated to be 307,381 in 2024. It is the List of municipalitie ...

. His was the son of Mary Kelly (née Watson) and Dr. Jacob Henry Smith, a Presbyterian minister. He graduated from Presbyterian High School, operated by his uncle in Greensboro. Smith enrolled

in 1877, graduating in1881. He was a member of

Phi Delta Theta Phi Delta Theta (), commonly known as Phi Delt, is an international secret and social Fraternities and sororities in North America, fraternity founded in 1848, and currently headquartered, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, alo ...

and

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States. It was founded in 1776 at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, ...

. He received an MA in physics from the University of Virginia in 1887, followed by a Ph.D. in physics in 1890.

Career

Starting in 1881, Smith was principal of Selma Academy for five years. He then returned to Davidson as a professor of natural science (physics and astronomy). During his time as a professor, Smith and his students created one of the first X-ray images in America. However, he took two leave of absences to complete a Master's and Ph.D. degrees. Smith became the president of Davidson College in 1901. He was the college's first president who was not a Presbyterian minister. During his administration, Smith oversaw construction and infrastructure projects, including the establishment of the first electric light plant in town and the construction of several dormitories and academic buildings. Smith left Davidson in 1912 to become president of

Lexington, Virginia Lexington is an Independent city (United States)#Virginia, independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 7,320. It is the county seat of Rockbridge County, Virg ...

. While there, he help found

Omicron Delta Kappa Omicron Delta Kappa (), also known as The Circle and ODK, is an American collegiate honor society that recognizes leadership and scholarship. It was founded in 1914, at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia and has chartered more t ...

honor society. 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 ...

, Smith invented a way to use air-carried balloons to drop

propaganda Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded l ...

messages in Austria and Germany. For this pioneering invention in

psychological warfare Psychological warfare (PSYWAR), or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations (PsyOp), has been known by many other names or terms, including Military Information Support Operations ( MISO), Psy Ops, political warfare, "Hearts and Mi ...

, he received an award from the American Security League. President

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat to serve as president during the Prog ...

credited Smith with doing the most to bring World War I to a close. Smith retired and became president emeritus in 1929.

Personal life

Smith married Julia Lorraine DuPuy of Davidson in 1896. She was the daughter of John James DuPuy, who was physician. The couple had eight children. Smith was a Presbyterian elder; he also taught Bible classes. He was a popular public speaker, wrote a local newspaper column, and published ''This Troubled Century'', in 1947. After retiring, Smith returned to Greensboro.Preyer, Norris W.
Smith, Henry Louis
" NCpedia. ''Dictionary of North Carolina Biography'', William S. Powell, editor. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1994. Accessed on April 18, 2025. He died at his home in Greensboro on February 27, 1951. He was buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery.

References

External links

Information about the x-ray photograph
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Henry Louis Davidson College alumni Davidson College faculty Washington and Lee University faculty People from Greensboro, North Carolina Presidents of Davidson College 1859 births 1951 deaths Omicron Delta Kappa founders University of Virginia alumni Phi Delta Theta members 20th-century American physicists 19th-century American physicists