John Edward McGilvrey
Encyclopedia
John Edward McGilvrey was an American academic who was the first president of what is now Kent State University
. McGilvrey was educated at the Indiana State Normal School
, receiving his bachelor of arts and sciences degree in 1895. He also received an honorary doctorate from Miami University
in 1915. At the time of his appointment at the Kent State Normal School in 1911, McGilvrey had recently begun his position as head of the education department at the Western Illinois Normal School
in Macomb, Illinois
. Other positions held included professor of education at Illinois University
, principal at the Cleveland Normal School from 1899–1908, and headmaster of a boys' home in Hudson, Ohio
.
. As a result, he remained in Macomb, Illinois
for his first year as president serving both schools simultaneously. Part of his work during this time was the establishment of extension centers at both Western Illinois and Kent, an early form of regional campuses. Because of the extension centers at Kent State, it allowed the school to develop a curriculum and enroll students even before buildings had been built on the campus site in Kent, Ohio
. As a result, Kent State was able to graduate its first class in 1914, a full year before sister-school Bowling Green State Normal School
would even begin offering classes.
Kent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
. McGilvrey was educated at the Indiana State Normal School
Indiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
, receiving his bachelor of arts and sciences degree in 1895. He also received an honorary doctorate from Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
in 1915. At the time of his appointment at the Kent State Normal School in 1911, McGilvrey had recently begun his position as head of the education department at the Western Illinois Normal School
Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University is a public university founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. Like many similar institutions of the time, Western Illinois State Normal School focused on teacher training for its relatively small body of students. As the normal school grew, it became...
in Macomb, Illinois
Macomb, Illinois
Macomb is a city in and the county seat of McDonough County, Illinois, United States. It is situated in western Illinois southwest of Galesburg. The population was 18,588 at the 2000 census. Macomb is the home of Western Illinois University.- Geography :...
. Other positions held included professor of education at Illinois University
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
, principal at the Cleveland Normal School from 1899–1908, and headmaster of a boys' home in Hudson, Ohio
Hudson, Ohio
Hudson is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 22,262 at the 2010 census. It is an affluent exurban community and is part of the Akron, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
Kent State Normal College
McGilvrey had only recently begun his tenure at Western Illinois when he accepted the position as first president at the Kent State Normal SchoolKent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
. As a result, he remained in Macomb, Illinois
Macomb, Illinois
Macomb is a city in and the county seat of McDonough County, Illinois, United States. It is situated in western Illinois southwest of Galesburg. The population was 18,588 at the 2000 census. Macomb is the home of Western Illinois University.- Geography :...
for his first year as president serving both schools simultaneously. Part of his work during this time was the establishment of extension centers at both Western Illinois and Kent, an early form of regional campuses. Because of the extension centers at Kent State, it allowed the school to develop a curriculum and enroll students even before buildings had been built on the campus site in Kent, Ohio
Kent, Ohio
Kent is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the largest city in Portage County. It is located along the Cuyahoga River in Northeastern Ohio on the western edge of the county. The population was 27,906 at the 2000 United States Census and 28,904 in the 2010 Census...
. As a result, Kent State was able to graduate its first class in 1914, a full year before sister-school Bowling Green State Normal School
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
would even begin offering classes.