Frederick W. Hinitt Explained

Frederick W. Hinitt
Order:4th
President of
Washington & Jefferson College
Term Start:January 4, 1915
Term End:June 30, 1918
Predecessor:James D. Moffat
Successor:Samuel Charles Black
Office1:10th President of the
Central University of Kentucky
Term Start1:April 7, 1904
Term End1:January 1, 1915
Predecessor1:William C. Roberts
Successor1:William Arthur Ganfield
Order2:6th
Title2:President of Parsons College
Term Start2:1900
Term End2:1904
Predecessor2:Daniel E. Jenkins
Successor2:Willis E. Parsons
Birth Date:November 21, 1866
Birth Place:Kidderminster, England
Death Place:Indiana, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Alma Mater:Westminster College
McCormick Theological Seminary
Wooster College
Signature:Frederick Hinitt signature 1904.png

Frederick William Hinitt was the 4th president of Washington & Jefferson College.[1]

Hinitt was born on November 21, 1866, in Kidderminster, England, and his emigrated to the United States when he was young. In 1889, he graduated with distinction from Westminster College and from McCormick Theological Seminary in 1892. He went on to earn a doctor of philosophy in 1896 and a doctor of divinity in 1902, both from Wooster College.[2] Following graduation, he served as a pastor in Iowa and Missouri before assuming the presidency of Parsons College in 1900. He assumed the presidency of Centre College in April 1904. Hinitt worked to increase the educational standards of Centre and pushed the state legislature to establish public high schools in every county of the state. He worked to distance the school from the Presbyterian Synod and became associated with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. In 1913, Centre built a new library funded with a $30,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie. Hinitt also pursued a plan for expansion, to include the remodeling of Breckinridge Hall, and building the Young Science Hall and Boyle-Humphrey Alumni Gymnasium. He resigned the presidency of Centre College on January 1, 1915.Hinitt was named president of Washington & Jefferson College on September 23, 1914. He assumed the duties of the presidency on January 4, 1915, and was officially inaugurated June 15, 1915. His tenure as president of W&J was dominated by the United States' entry into World War I. Total college enrollment dropped to 180, a decrease of 50%. The commencement of 1918 was held early to accommodate men who were deployed to Europe, but only 24 were able to attend. Hinitt's commencement sermon that year reflected this reality: "To the Class of 1918, divided on this day, with so many of your men absent in service, I have but this word to say: Fear God and serve your country!"

He resigned the presidency of W&J on June 30, 1918, to accept the pastorate of the First Presbyterian Church of Indiana, Pennsylvania. He took a year's leave of absence to work with the YMCA in army camps in England and to serve as an army field secretary in the American Expeditionary Force.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Frederick W. Hinitt (Pro Tem. 1915–1918). U. Grant Miller Library Digital Archives. Washington & Jefferson College. September 4, 2003. July 18, 2012. https://archive.today/20120718133413/http://washjeff.cdmhost.com/u?/p4019coll8,40. dead.
  2. Web site: Centre College President – Frederick W. Hinitt. Special Collections · Grace Doherty Library. Centre College. June 29, 2002. https://web.archive.org/web/20081013130804/http://www.centre.edu/web/library/sc/presidents/hinitt.html. October 13, 2008. dead.