Theodore Barrows Stowell early president of Bryant University in Rhode Island USA

Theodore Stowell (1847-1916) was an early president of Bryant College (now

Bryant University Bryant University is a private university in Smithfield, Rhode Island. It has two colleges, the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Business, and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. History Butler Ex ...

Biography

Theodore Barrows Stowell was born in

Mansfield Center, Connecticut Mansfield Center is a village within the town of Mansfield in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The village is the basis of a census-designated place (CDP) of the same name with a population of 947 at the 2010 census. The CDP includes ...

in 1847 to an old New England family of farmers and land owners, and he attended

Woodstock Academy Woodstock Academy (WA), founded in 1801, is a high school located in Woodstock, Connecticut, United States. The Academy, which describes itself as an independent school, serves residents from the Connecticut towns of Brooklyn, Canterbury, Eastf ...

and the Connecticut State Normal School (now the

Central Connecticut State University Central Connecticut State University (Central Connecticut, CCSU, Central Connecticut State, or informally Central) is a public university in New Britain, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1849 as the State Normal School, CCSU is Connecticu ...

). He then worked as a teacher in Bridgeport, Connecticut and then by 1870 at

Portsmouth, Rhode Island Portsmouth is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 17,871 at the 2020 U.S. census. Portsmouth is the second-oldest municipality in Rhode Island, after Providence; it was one of the four colonies which merge ...

at the Bristol Ferry School. In 1872 Stowell became a faculty member at Bryant, which was then located in Providence, and in 1878 he became principal and purchased the school from the Bryant and Stratton families. Stowell served as president until his death 1916 at which point Bryant College completed its merger with Henry Jacobs' Rhode Island Commercial School. Stowell was active in various organizations, including the Providence Chamber of Commerce,

Rotary Club Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world. Its stated mission is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through hefellowship of business, prof ...

, and the Beneficent Congregational Church in Providence. He married Florence Taylor of Connecticut in 1871, and they remained married until his death.

Honors

In 1915 Stowell received an honorary degree from Brown University, and Stowell Hall on Bryant's Providence campus was named in his honor, but was sold to Brown University in 1969. In 2005 Stowell was inducted posthumously into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame .

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stowell, Theodore 1847 births Bryant University faculty People from Connecticut Central Connecticut State University alumni 1916 deaths