Henry Mitchell MacCracken (September 28, 1840 – December 24, 1918) was an American educator and academic administrator.

Biography

Henry MacCracken was born in

Oxford, Ohio Oxford is a city in northwestern Butler County, Ohio, United States. The population was 23,035 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. A college town, Oxford was founded as a home for Miami University and lies in the southwestern portion ...

on September 28, 1840. He graduated from

Miami University Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public university, public research university in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the second-oldest List of colleges and universities in Ohio, university in Ohi ...

in Ohio in 1857. After a brief teaching career, he entered the

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 ...

ministry in 1863. From 1881 to 1884 he served as the sixth chancellor of the

University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The university is composed of seventeen undergraduate and graduate schools and colle ...

, then called the Western University of Pennsylvania. In 1884 he was appointed professor of philosophy and vice chancellor of

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 ...

, becoming chancellor in 1891. Before his retirement in 1910, the University Heights campus was acquired, a graduate school and schools of commerce and pedagogy were founded, and the university medical school was strengthened by union with Bellevue Hospital medical college. While chancellor he was responsible for the creation of Hall of Fame for Great Americans on the campus and using the term "Hall of Fame" in English, inspired by Munich's Ruhmeshalle ("hall of fame" in German). Henry MacCracken died in

Orlando, Florida Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...

on December 24, 1918. He was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New York City. Henry Noble MacCracken, 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 ...

from 1915 to 1946, and John Henry MacCracken, president 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 ...

from 1915 to 1926, were his sons. MacCracken Hall, a residence hall at Miami University bears his name. His former residence on the campus of Bronx Community College also carries the name MacCracken Hall.

Popular culture

On a July 2013 episode of the satirical television program ''

The Colbert Report ''The Colbert Report'' ( ) is an American late night television, late-night Late-night talk show, talk and news satire television program hosted by Stephen Colbert that aired four days a week on Comedy Central from October 17, 2005, to December ...

, ''Henry Mitchel MacCracken, who penned a 1904''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

''article on the moral risks of college men'',' ''was comically portrayed as a still active ''Times'' trends section editor after the newspaper published a similarly themed article in 2013.

References

* See T. F. Jones, New York University, 1832–1932 (1933).

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Maccracken, Henry Mitchell 1840 births 1918 deaths Burials at Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York) Miami University alumni Chancellors of the University of Pittsburgh Chancellors and presidents of New York University