Henry Stites Barker
Encyclopedia
Henry Stites Barker was the second president of the University of Kentucky
from 1911-1917.
Barker was born in 1850 at Newstead in Christian County, Kentucky
and grew up in Louisville, Kentucky
. He attended UK (then called the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky), before dropping out to study law. He served as Louisville City Attorney from 1887 to 1896. He served as Judge of the Jefferson
Circuit Court (Criminal Division) and Judge of the State Court of Appeals, serving one year as its Chief Justice.
In 1910, he was selected by the UK Board of Trustees to be the next president of the University. His predecessor, James K. Patterson, was often openly critical of Barker's administration and reluctant to cede control of the institution. Despite these roadblocks, Barker started a graduate school
at the university as well as several other major improvements. Reserve Officers' Training Corps
was started on the campus during his tenure and the school's ROTC building is named Barker Hall.
Despite these and many more accomplishments, Patterson and his allies continued to oppose him until he resigned in 1917. He returned to his law practice in Louisville, and was later elected again to a judgeship. He died on April 23, 1928 in nearby Jeffersonville, Indiana
.
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
from 1911-1917.
Barker was born in 1850 at Newstead in Christian County, Kentucky
Christian County, Kentucky
Christian County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1797. As of 2000, its population was 72,265. Its county seat is Hopkinsville, Kentucky...
and grew up in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. He attended UK (then called the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky), before dropping out to study law. He served as Louisville City Attorney from 1887 to 1896. He served as Judge of the Jefferson
Jefferson County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 693,604 people, 287,012 households, and 183,113 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 305,835 housing units at an average density of...
Circuit Court (Criminal Division) and Judge of the State Court of Appeals, serving one year as its Chief Justice.
In 1910, he was selected by the UK Board of Trustees to be the next president of the University. His predecessor, James K. Patterson, was often openly critical of Barker's administration and reluctant to cede control of the institution. Despite these roadblocks, Barker started a graduate school
Graduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
at the university as well as several other major improvements. Reserve Officers' Training Corps
Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a college-based, officer commissioning program, predominantly in the United States. It is designed as a college elective that focuses on leadership development, problem solving, strategic planning, and professional ethics.The U.S...
was started on the campus during his tenure and the school's ROTC building is named Barker Hall.
Despite these and many more accomplishments, Patterson and his allies continued to oppose him until he resigned in 1917. He returned to his law practice in Louisville, and was later elected again to a judgeship. He died on April 23, 1928 in nearby Jeffersonville, Indiana
Jeffersonville, Indiana
Jeffersonville is a city in Clark County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. Locally, the city is often referred to by the abbreviated name Jeff. It is directly across the Ohio River to the north of Louisville, Kentucky along I-65. The population was 44,953 at the 2010 census...
.