Joseph Gibson Hoyt
Encyclopedia
Joseph Gibson Hoyt was the first chancellor and a professor of Greek
at Washington University in St. Louis
(then named Washington Institute in St. Louis) from 1858-1862. Born in Dunbarton, New Hampshire
in 1815, Hoyt received his undergraduate education at Yale University
, where he was a member of Skull and Bones
. After Hoyt's graduation from Yale in 1840, he served as an instructor in mathematics
and natural philosophy
at Phillips Exeter Academy
from 1840 to 1858, before taking up his post at Washington University. In 1862, Hoyt died in St. Louis, Missouri
at the age of 47.
's first chancellor, was born in Dunbarton, New Hampshire
, in 1815. Until he was 16, he was only able to attend school three months a year because he was needed on the family farm. Nevertheless, he entered Yale University
in 1836. There, he took prizes in mathematics and classics, served as editor of Yale's famous literary magazine, and graduated sixth in a class of 100.
After graduating in 1840, he took charge of an academy in Plymouth, New Hampshire
, and a year later was appointed professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Phillips Exeter Academy
in Exeter, New Hampshire
, where he remained for 18 years and rose to national prominence as an educator. He was a skilled draftsman and architect, personally designing some of the buildings and furnishings in the town of Exeter.
Hoyt helped revise the New Hampshire state constitution in 1851; and in 1858, narrowly missed a congressional nomination. But that same year he accepted the appointment as chancellor and professor of Greek language and literature at Washington University in St. Louis
. He arrived in St. Louis in 1859, he wrote, with a "controlling purpose" to develop a college. "Of the constituent elements of a true University," he said in his inaugural address, "the first and most important is the College, which should give students a solid foundation in the liberal arts." He did just that, defining the requirements and curriculum for bachelor's degrees, which survived into the 1890s, and designating a full-time faculty for the College. His most noted hire was that of William Chauvenet, a Yale College
classmate who came as the new chair of mathematics and astronomy and would later succeed him as chancellor.
The University's Collegiate Department, the forerunner of Arts & Sciences, graduated its first class of five students near the end of his tenure in 1862, although he missed the ceremony due to illness, knowing he was dying of tuberculosis. On October 4, Hoyt tried to resign in a final, poignant letter to William Greenleaf Eliot
, who had previously refused to accept his resignation: "I need not say," he wrote, "that it fills me with inexpressible sadness to feel constrained, at the very noon of life, to ask leave to lay down an office in which I had concentrated every worldly hope and ambition." He died of complications from tuberculosis on November 26, 1862.
Of his service to Washington University, one biographer wrote: "The institution which he found an academy he left a university." William Greenleaf Eliot
referred to him as "a perfect educator."
Hoyt Hall, a dormitory at Phillips Exeter Academy, is named for Hoyt. A large plaque on the building reads, "In memory of Joseph Gibson Hoyt, the great teacher."
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
at Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
(then named Washington Institute in St. Louis) from 1858-1862. Born in Dunbarton, New Hampshire
Dunbarton, New Hampshire
Dunbarton, is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,758 at the 2010 census.- History :Originally granted as Gorham's-town in 1735, and re-granted as Starkstown in 1748, the town was incorporated in 1765 as Dunbarton...
in 1815, Hoyt received his undergraduate education at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, where he was a member of Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. It is a traditional peer society to Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head, as the three senior class 'landed societies' at Yale....
. After Hoyt's graduation from Yale in 1840, he served as an instructor in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and natural philosophy
Natural philosophy
Natural philosophy or the philosophy of nature , is a term applied to the study of nature and the physical universe that was dominant before the development of modern science...
at Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
from 1840 to 1858, before taking up his post at Washington University. In 1862, Hoyt died in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
at the age of 47.
Biography
Joseph Gibson Hoyt, Washington University in St. LouisWashington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
's first chancellor, was born in Dunbarton, New Hampshire
Dunbarton, New Hampshire
Dunbarton, is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,758 at the 2010 census.- History :Originally granted as Gorham's-town in 1735, and re-granted as Starkstown in 1748, the town was incorporated in 1765 as Dunbarton...
, in 1815. Until he was 16, he was only able to attend school three months a year because he was needed on the family farm. Nevertheless, he entered Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1836. There, he took prizes in mathematics and classics, served as editor of Yale's famous literary magazine, and graduated sixth in a class of 100.
After graduating in 1840, he took charge of an academy in Plymouth, New Hampshire
Plymouth, New Hampshire
Plymouth is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States, in the White Mountains Region. Plymouth is located at the convergence of the Pemigewasset and Baker rivers. The population was 6,990 at the 2010 census...
, and a year later was appointed professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
in Exeter, New Hampshire
Exeter, New Hampshire
Exeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The town's population was 14,306 at the 2010 census. Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices were moved to neighboring Brentwood...
, where he remained for 18 years and rose to national prominence as an educator. He was a skilled draftsman and architect, personally designing some of the buildings and furnishings in the town of Exeter.
Hoyt helped revise the New Hampshire state constitution in 1851; and in 1858, narrowly missed a congressional nomination. But that same year he accepted the appointment as chancellor and professor of Greek language and literature at Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
. He arrived in St. Louis in 1859, he wrote, with a "controlling purpose" to develop a college. "Of the constituent elements of a true University," he said in his inaugural address, "the first and most important is the College, which should give students a solid foundation in the liberal arts." He did just that, defining the requirements and curriculum for bachelor's degrees, which survived into the 1890s, and designating a full-time faculty for the College. His most noted hire was that of William Chauvenet, a Yale College
Yale College
Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...
classmate who came as the new chair of mathematics and astronomy and would later succeed him as chancellor.
The University's Collegiate Department, the forerunner of Arts & Sciences, graduated its first class of five students near the end of his tenure in 1862, although he missed the ceremony due to illness, knowing he was dying of tuberculosis. On October 4, Hoyt tried to resign in a final, poignant letter to William Greenleaf Eliot
William Greenleaf Eliot
William Greenleaf Eliot was an American educator, Unitarian minister, and civic leader in Missouri. He is most notable for founding Washington University in St. Louis, but also contributed to the founding of numerous other civic institutions, such as the St...
, who had previously refused to accept his resignation: "I need not say," he wrote, "that it fills me with inexpressible sadness to feel constrained, at the very noon of life, to ask leave to lay down an office in which I had concentrated every worldly hope and ambition." He died of complications from tuberculosis on November 26, 1862.
Of his service to Washington University, one biographer wrote: "The institution which he found an academy he left a university." William Greenleaf Eliot
William Greenleaf Eliot
William Greenleaf Eliot was an American educator, Unitarian minister, and civic leader in Missouri. He is most notable for founding Washington University in St. Louis, but also contributed to the founding of numerous other civic institutions, such as the St...
referred to him as "a perfect educator."
Hoyt Hall, a dormitory at Phillips Exeter Academy, is named for Hoyt. A large plaque on the building reads, "In memory of Joseph Gibson Hoyt, the great teacher."
External links
- Washington University in Saint Louis
- Biographical entry at Washington University in Saint Louis