Frederick W. Hinitt
Encyclopedia
Frederick W. Hinitt was the 4th president
of Washington & Jefferson College
.
Hinitt was born on November 21, 1866, in Kidderminster, England
, and his emigrated to the United States when he was young. In 1889, he graduated with distinction from Westminster College
and from McCormick Theological Seminary
in 1892. He went on to earn a doctor of philosophy in 1896 and a doctor of divinity in 1902, both from Wooster College.
Following graduation, he served as a pastor in Iowa and Missouri before assuming the presidency of Parsons College
in 1900. He assumed the presidency of Centre College
in April 1904. Hinitt worked to increase the educational standards of Centre and pushed the state legislature
to establish public high schools in every county of the state. He worked to distance the school from the Presbyterian Synod and became associated with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. In 1913, Centre built a new library
funded with a $30,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie
. Hinitt also pursued a plan for expansion, to include the remodeling of Breckinridge Hall, and building the Young Science Halland and Boyle-Humphrey Alumni Gymnasium. He resigned the presidency of Centre College on January 1, 1915.
Hinitt was named president of Washington & Jefferson College
on September 23, 1914. He assumed the duties of the presidency on January 4, 1915, and was officially inaugurated June 15, 1915. His tenure as president of W&J was dominated by the United States' entry into World War I
. Total college enrollment dropped to 180, a decrease of 50%. The commencement of 1918 was held early to accommodate men who were deployed to Europe, but only 24 were able to attend. Hinitt's commencement sermon that year reflected this reality: "To the Class of 1918, divided on this day, with so many of your men absent in service, I have but this word to say: Fear God and serve your country!"
He resigned the presidency of W&J on June 30, 1918 to accept the pastorate of the First Presbyterian Church of Indiana, Pennsylvania
. He took a year's leave of absence to work with the YMCA
in army caps in England and to serve as an army field secretary in the American Expeditionary Force
.
President of Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, which is located in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The college traces its origin to three log cabin colleges in Washington County established by three Presbyterian missionaries to the American frontier...
of Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, also known as W & J College or W&J, is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States, which is south of Pittsburgh...
.
Hinitt was born on November 21, 1866, in Kidderminster, England
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a town, in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. It is located approximately seventeen miles south-west of Birmingham city centre and approximately fifteen miles north of Worcester city centre. The 2001 census recorded a population of 55,182 in the town...
, and his emigrated to the United States when he was young. In 1889, he graduated with distinction from Westminster College
Westminster College, Missouri
Westminster College is a private, selective, liberal arts institution in Fulton, Missouri, USA. It was founded by Presbyterians in 1849 as Fulton College and assumed the present name in 1851. The are located on the campus. The National Churchill Museum is a national historic site and includes...
and from McCormick Theological Seminary
McCormick Theological Seminary
McCormick Theological Seminary is one of eleven schools of theology of the Presbyterian Church . It shares a campus with the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, bordering the campus of the University of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois...
in 1892. He went on to earn a doctor of philosophy in 1896 and a doctor of divinity in 1902, both from Wooster College.
Following graduation, he served as a pastor in Iowa and Missouri before assuming the presidency of Parsons College
Parsons College
Parsons College was a private liberal arts college in Fairfield, Iowa. The school, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, was founded in 1875 and closed in 1973....
in 1900. He assumed the presidency of Centre College
Centre College
Centre College is a private liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky, USA, a community of approximately 16,000 in Boyle County south of Lexington, KY. Centre is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution. Centre was founded by Presbyterian leaders, with whom it maintains a loose...
in April 1904. Hinitt worked to increase the educational standards of Centre and pushed the state legislature
Kentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
to establish public high schools in every county of the state. He worked to distance the school from the Presbyterian Synod and became associated with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. In 1913, Centre built a new library
Carnegie library
A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems...
funded with a $30,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
. Hinitt also pursued a plan for expansion, to include the remodeling of Breckinridge Hall, and building the Young Science Halland and Boyle-Humphrey Alumni Gymnasium. He resigned the presidency of Centre College on January 1, 1915.
Hinitt was named president of Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, also known as W & J College or W&J, is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States, which is south of Pittsburgh...
on September 23, 1914. He assumed the duties of the presidency on January 4, 1915, and was officially inaugurated June 15, 1915. His tenure as president of W&J was dominated by the United States' entry into World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Total college enrollment dropped to 180, a decrease of 50%. The commencement of 1918 was held early to accommodate men who were deployed to Europe, but only 24 were able to attend. Hinitt's commencement sermon that year reflected this reality: "To the Class of 1918, divided on this day, with so many of your men absent in service, I have but this word to say: Fear God and serve your country!"
He resigned the presidency of W&J on June 30, 1918 to accept the pastorate of the First Presbyterian Church of Indiana, Pennsylvania
Indiana, Pennsylvania
Indiana is a borough in and the county seat of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 14,895 at the 2000 census.The borough and the region as a whole promotes itself as the "Christmas Tree Capital of the World" because the national Christmas Tree Grower's Association was...
. He took a year's leave of absence to work with the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
in army caps in England and to serve as an army field secretary in the American Expeditionary Force
American Expeditionary Force
The American Expeditionary Forces or AEF were the United States Armed Forces sent to Europe in World War I. During the United States campaigns in World War I the AEF fought in France alongside British and French allied forces in the last year of the war, against Imperial German forces...
.
See also
- Washington & Jefferson CollegeWashington & Jefferson CollegeWashington & Jefferson College, also known as W & J College or W&J, is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States, which is south of Pittsburgh...
- President of Washington & Jefferson CollegePresident of Washington & Jefferson CollegeWashington & Jefferson College is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, which is located in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The college traces its origin to three log cabin colleges in Washington County established by three Presbyterian missionaries to the American frontier...