William Joseph Martin Jr.

William Joseph Martin Jr.
10th President of Davidson College
In office
1912–1929
Preceded byHenry Louis Smith
Succeeded byWalter Lee Lingle
Personal details
Born(1868-02-10)February 10, 1868
Columbia, Tennessee, US
DiedSeptember 7, 1943(1943-09-07) (aged 75)
Davidson, North Carolina, US
EducationDavidson College
University of Virginia
Johns Hopkins University
ProfessionProfessor

William Joseph Martin Jr. (1868–1943) was the tenth president of Davidson College, being installed as president in 1912.

Biography

Martin, the son of a Confederate veteran who was also a professor at Davidson, graduated from Davidson in 1888. After receiving advanced degrees from the University of Virginia and further instruction at Johns Hopkins University, Martin eventually found his way back to Davidson as a chemistry professor.[1]

As president, Martin steered the college through World War I, when many students left college to fight, by bringing a Student Army Training Corps program to campus.[2] Also, the main academic building, Chambers Building, burned down but Martin was able to secure funding to replace the building. Martin also established a relationship with the Duke Endowment, a relationship that exists still today.[3]

After his retirement, Martin left to work in the PCUSA training school, but returned to Davidson to teach.[citation needed]

The main chemistry building at Davidson is named in honor of both Martin and his father, William Joseph Martin Sr.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Martin, William Joseph, Jr. – Davidson College Archives & Special Collections". Davidson College. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  2. ^ "Martin, William Joseph, Jr". NCpedia. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  3. ^ "Trail to the Chiefs: Tour Highlights Presidential Portraits". Davidson College. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  4. ^ Blodgett, Jan (December 9, 2014). "Evolution of Martin Chemical Building". Around the D. Davidson College. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
Academic offices
Preceded by President of Davidson College
1912–1929
Succeeded by