William Rainey Harper, religious studies educator and academic administrator. Harper's reputation was that of a sound, though not especially creative, scholar and an outstanding teacher whose lectures and books helped to spread the more scholarly criticism of the Bible in America. He was always a devout Christian, and his obvious piety and mild-tempered approach to controversy made him widely welcome among American religious groups.
Background
Harper, William Rainey was born on July 26, 1856 in New Concord, Ohio, United States. Son of Samuel and Ellen Elizabeth (Rainey) Harper.Harper's parents were of Irish-Scottish ancestry. Very early in his life, Harper displayed skills years ahead of other children of his age, and he was labeled a child prodigy. By the age of eight, Harper began preparing for college-level courses. At the age of ten he enrolled in Muskingum College in his native New Concord, Ohio. At the age of fourteen, he graduated from Muskingum College. In 1872, Harper enrolled in Yale University to begin his postgraduate studies, and he completed these in 1876. Harper quickly assumed a series of faculty positions, including ones at Denison University and Yale University. Throughout his academic life, Harper wrote numerous textbooks. A strong supporter of lifelong learning, Harper was also involved with the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York, and its academic programs starting in 1883.
Education
From his earliest college days Harper was particularly interested in the Semitic languages.Graduate Muskingum College, 1870.
Career
He introduced many innovations in university organization that have been generally adopted. He contributed extensively to educational and popular magazines.President University of Chicago, since 1891. Director Haskell Oriental Mus. Editor The Biblical World, The American Journal of Theology, and the American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literature.
Author: Elements of Hebrew. Elements of Hebrew Syntax. Hebrew Vocabularies
Introductory Hebrew Method and Manual
An Inductive Greek Method
Elements of Hebrew Syntax By an Inductive Method
Eight Books Of Caesar's Gallic War
Young Folks Library: Leaders of Men or History Told in Biography
Xenophon's Anabasis Seven Books
Religion and the Higher Life
The Prophetic Element In The Old Testament: An Aid To Historical Study For Use In Advanced Bible Classes
A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Amos and Hosea
The Biblical world, Volume 53
The Trend in Higher Education
Other Work
Introductory New Testament Greek Method (with Revere F. Weidner).A Teacher’s Manual for an Inductive Latin Primer (with I. B. Burgess), 1898. Elements of Latin (with I. B. Burgess), 1900. Constructive Studies in the Priestly Element in the Old Testament, 1902, 2d enlarged edit., 1905.Religion and the Higher Life, 1904. The Structure of the Text of the Book of Amos, 1904. The Structure of the Text of the Book of Hosea, 1905.The Trend of Higher Education, 1905. Amos and Hosea (International Critical Commentary), 1905. Editor The Biblical World, The American Journal of Theology, and the American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literature.
Membership
Masonic College, Macon, Tennessee, 1875-1876. Member Chicago board of education, 1896-1898.
Connections
William Rainey Harper married Ella Paul Harper in 1875. They were the parents of three sons, Samuel Northrup, Paul, and Donald, and one daughter, Davida.