John Huston Finley
Encyclopedia
John Huston Finley was Professor of Polities at Princeton University
from 1900 to 1903, and President of the City College of New York
from 1903 until 1913, when he was appointed Commissioner of Education of the State of New York
. A promenade along the western bank of the East River between 63rd Street and 125th Street in Manhattan was named the John Finley Walk in 1940 because he had often walked the perimeter of Manhattan.
, the eldest son of James Gibson Finley and Lydia Margaret McCombs. His father and mother went out as early settlers on the prairies from the East. His father was the great-grandson of the Reverend James Finley
, the first minister, it is believed, to settle permanently beyond the Allegheny Mountains
in Western Pennsylvania
, and brother of Dr. Samuel Finley
, President of Princeton College in the middle of the eighteenth century. Mr. Finley’s brother, Robert, who died in his early thirties, was associate editor of the Review of Reviews
; his sister, Bertha, died as a missionary in Korea
.
Finley was educated in the public schools of Grand Ridge, the Ottawa High School, and Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois
, receiving the degree of A.B. and A.M., and afterward took up post-graduate work at the Johns Hopkins University
. He was valedictorian of his class at Knox and won the interstate prize in oratory in 1887. He was made an honorary member of the Northwestern Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. He was Secretary of the Illinois State Charities Aid Association, 1889–1892, and President of Knox College, 1892-1899. In the latter year, he went to New York, but after a year in the editorial departments of the publishing houses of Harpers
and McClure
, returned to educational work, upon an invitation to take a newly established chair at Princeton University
. He was Professor of Polities at Princeton from 1900–1903, and President of the College of the City of New York
from 1903 until 1913, when he was appointed President of the University of the State of New York
and Commissioner of Education of the State of New York
. He was also Harvard University
exchange lecturer on the Hyde Foundation at the Sorbonne
in Paris from 1910 to 1911. During World War I
he headed the Red Cross Commission in Palestine
.
Finley was appointed The New York Times
associate editor in 1921. On April 21, 1937, The Times announced Dr. Finley's appointment as editor-in-chief. He held that position until Nov. 16, 1938, when because of poor health he took the title of editor emeritus. Finley was president of the American Geographical Society
from 1925 to 1934. He remained an honorary president there until his death. His position on the Times placed him in contact with the great explorers and fliers of the day, who signed their names for him on a terrestrial globe, which he presented to the Society in 1929. He also served on the board of trustees for Science Service, now known as Society for Science & the Public
, from 1925-1940.
John H. Finley died while sleeping of a coronary embolism the morning of March 7, 1940 in New York City
.
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
from 1900 to 1903, and President of the City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
from 1903 until 1913, when he was appointed Commissioner of Education of the State of New York
Commissioner of Education of the State of New York
The Commissioner of Education of the State of New York is the head of the state education department. The Board of Regents chooses a Commissioner of Education who heads the State Education Department and also serves as the President of the University of the State of New York office...
. A promenade along the western bank of the East River between 63rd Street and 125th Street in Manhattan was named the John Finley Walk in 1940 because he had often walked the perimeter of Manhattan.
Biography
He was born on October 19, 1863 in Grand Ridge, IllinoisGrand Ridge, Illinois
Grand Ridge is a village in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 546 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Ottawa–Streator Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is a part of the geographic region known as Streatorland.-History:...
, the eldest son of James Gibson Finley and Lydia Margaret McCombs. His father and mother went out as early settlers on the prairies from the East. His father was the great-grandson of the Reverend James Finley
James Finley (minister)
James Finley was an American Presbyterian minister and politician who was a pioneer resident of western Pennsylvania...
, the first minister, it is believed, to settle permanently beyond the Allegheny Mountains
Allegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
in Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
, and brother of Dr. Samuel Finley
Samuel Finley
The Rev. Samuel Finley , 1763 DD University of Glasgow . Evangelical preacher and academic, he founded the West Nottingham Academy, and was the fifth president and an original trustee of the College of New Jersey from 1761 until 1766.-Family and students:Finley was the...
, President of Princeton College in the middle of the eighteenth century. Mr. Finley’s brother, Robert, who died in his early thirties, was associate editor of the Review of Reviews
Review of Reviews
The Review of Reviews was a noted family of monthly journals founded in 1890-93 by British reform journalist William Thomas Stead...
; his sister, Bertha, died as a missionary in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
.
Finley was educated in the public schools of Grand Ridge, the Ottawa High School, and Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois
Galesburg, Illinois
Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County....
, receiving the degree of A.B. and A.M., and afterward took up post-graduate work at the Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
. He was valedictorian of his class at Knox and won the interstate prize in oratory in 1887. He was made an honorary member of the Northwestern Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. He was Secretary of the Illinois State Charities Aid Association, 1889–1892, and President of Knox College, 1892-1899. In the latter year, he went to New York, but after a year in the editorial departments of the publishing houses of Harpers
Harpers
The Harpers are a fictional and semi-secret organization in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting of the role playing game Dungeons & Dragons...
and McClure
McClure
McClure may refer to:* McClure * McClure's Magazine, a popular United States illustrated monthly magazine at the turn of the 20th century* McClure , an impact crater on the MoonIn geography:* McClure, British Columbia, Canada...
, returned to educational work, upon an invitation to take a newly established chair at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. He was Professor of Polities at Princeton from 1900–1903, and President of the College of the City of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
from 1903 until 1913, when he was appointed President of the University of the State of New York
University of the State of New York
The University of the State of New York is the State of New York's governmental umbrella organization responsible for most institutions and people in any way connected with formal educational functions, public and private, in New York State...
and Commissioner of Education of the State of New York
Commissioner of Education of the State of New York
The Commissioner of Education of the State of New York is the head of the state education department. The Board of Regents chooses a Commissioner of Education who heads the State Education Department and also serves as the President of the University of the State of New York office...
. He was also Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
exchange lecturer on the Hyde Foundation at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
in Paris from 1910 to 1911. During 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...
he headed the Red Cross Commission in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
.
Finley was appointed The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
associate editor in 1921. On April 21, 1937, The Times announced Dr. Finley's appointment as editor-in-chief. He held that position until Nov. 16, 1938, when because of poor health he took the title of editor emeritus. Finley was president of the American Geographical Society
American Geographical Society
The American Geographical Society is an organization of professional geographers, founded in 1851 in New York City. Most fellows of the society are Americans, but among them have always been a significant number of fellows from around the world...
from 1925 to 1934. He remained an honorary president there until his death. His position on the Times placed him in contact with the great explorers and fliers of the day, who signed their names for him on a terrestrial globe, which he presented to the Society in 1929. He also served on the board of trustees for Science Service, now known as Society for Science & the Public
Society for Science & the Public
Society for Science & the Public , formerly known as Science Service, is a 5013 non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of science, through its science education programs and publications, including the weekly Science News magazine.Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the organization...
, from 1925-1940.
John H. Finley died while sleeping of a coronary embolism the morning of March 7, 1940 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.