He was born in Columbia, Mo., Mar. 20, 1887. After graduation from William Jewell College (1908), he went to the Philippines as supervisor of schools for the Bureau of Education. Returning to the United States for graduate work in 1912, he earned his M.A. from William Jewell College (1913) and his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago (1916). He served as professor of sociology (1914-1921) and as dean (1918-1921) at George Williams College (Chicago) and was then made head of the Department of Sociology at the University of Cincinnati, a position he held until his death, Dec. 17, 1945, at Sharpes, Fla. During World War I, he directed the training for war work for the Y.W.C.A.'s War Work Council, and in 1931 was a member of the White House Conference on Child Welfare Work. His published writings include A Study of Family Desertion (1916), Loan Sharks and Loan Shark Legislation in Illinois (1917), and The Concepts of Sociology (1932). The last named has been acclaimed as "a monument of logical organization and precision of definition of sociological concepts."
Education
Bachelor of Arts, William Jewell College, 1908, A.M., 1913. Fellow in sociology and Doctor of Philosophy., cum laude, University of Chicago, 1916.
Career
Supervisor of schools, Philippines, 1908-1912. Professor sociology, George Williams College, 1914-1921, also dean, 1918-1921. Professor sociology and head of Department, University of Cincinnati, since 1921, also founder and director School of Social Work, 1923-1931.
Professor sociology, summers, University of Chicago, 1927, University of Southern California, 1928, Colorado State College, 1932, 33, University of Denver, 1935, University of Colorado, 1937.
Works
Other Work
Author: A Study of Family Desertion, 1916. (with C. L. Clark) Lockstep and Corridor, 1927. The Concepts of Sociology, 1931.(with others) Introduction to Western Civilization, 1933. (with others) Social Problems and Social Processes, 1933. (with others) Fields and Methods of Sociology, 1934.(with others) Contemporary Social Theory, 1940. Associate editor: Dictionary of Sociology. Advisory editor American Journal Sociology, Sociology and Social Research.Contributor to sociological and religious journals. Speaker in same field.
Membership
Member American Seminar to Europe, 1921, 1934. Acting director bureau of Social Surveys, Chicago, 1916. Director of training, Central Military Department, National War Work Council, Young Men’s Christian Association, World War.
Member Young Men’s Christian Association National Constitutional Convention, 1924. Member White House Conference on Child Welfare, 1931. Delegate Baptist World Congress, Berlin, 1934.
Member American Sociological Society, American Association University professors, Ohio Valley Sociological Society (president 1926-1927), Alpha Kappa Delta, Phi Eta, Beta Epsilon. Member Masaryk Sociological Society (Czechoslovakia). Clubs: Faculty, Torch (president 1939-1940).
Connections
Married Eva Maude Stephens, 1910 (died 1923).; married second, Jessie Logan Burrall, 1928. Children: Evelyn Laile, Edward Earle (deceased), Lauriel Elsabeth, Lois Lilian.