Sidney Edward Mezes was born on September 23, 1863, at Belmont, California. He was the only son of Simon Monserrate and Juliet Janin (Johnson) Mezes. His father was a native of northern Spain who settled in California during the winter of 1849-50, was successful in business and became a large landowner. His mother, born in Florence, Italy, was the daughter of Sidney Law Johnson of New Haven, Connecticut.
A graduate of Yale and a descendant of the second president of Yale College, this grandfather was a lawyer by profession, practising in New Orleans and San Francisco. Sidney Edward Mezes became an accomplished linguist at an early age, both through the help of his parents and in the course of protracted visits to Europe. Completing his preparatory studies at St. Matthew's Hall in San Mateo, he entered the University of California, from which he graduated in 1884 with the degree of B. S. In the early winter of 1884 his father died. For some years thereafter the son gave most of his attention to the affairs of his father's estate, meanwhile carrying on studies in the humanities at the universities of California and Berlin. Convinced at length that his major interest was in philosophy and attracted by the fame of Royce, James, and Palmer, he entered Harvard University as a senior in 1889. At Harvard he remained four years, receiving the degrees of A. B. in 1890, A. M. in 1891, and Ph. D. in 1893.
During the year 1893-94, Mezes taught at Bryn Mawr and the University of Chicago. In the autumn of 1894 he was called to the University of Texas as adjunct professor of philosophy. He became associate professor in 1897, professor in 1900, dean in 1902, and president of the University in 1908. At the close of 1914 he resigned to accept the presidency of the College of the City of New York. It was at the University of Texas that Mezes spent the happiest years of his life. He formed at the University and in Austin many of his closest and most valued friendships; and his steady and rapid advancement bears witness alike to his ability and his popularity. In 1929, fifteen years after he left Texas, he had the honor of being elected president emeritus of the University. The College of the City of New York under his administration entered upon a period of extraordinary growth, during which its development was carefully and skilfully guided, its internal organization nicely adjusted, its services to the community made more direct and valuable. Mezes was responsible for the establishment of the schools of Technology, Business, and Education, and for the expansion of evening, summer, and vocational courses; but he was responsible also for strengthening the discipline of the institution and raising its scholastic standards.
It was his conscious aim to preserve and improve what was best in the old plan of instruction while introducing, with cautious moderation, what seemed to be good in the new. While still at Texas he had declined the position of United States commissioner of education; but when in 1917 he was asked by his brother-in-law, Col. Edward M. House, at President Wilson's request, to gather a body of experts to collect data which might be needed eventually at the Peace Conference, he undertook the task at once. A first result of the studies carried on by this body, called The Inquiry, was the submission of a report "on the main outlines of an equitable settlement, " which became "the basis from which the President started in formulating his Fourteen Points". At the Paris Conference the members of The Inquiry were constituted into a Section of Territorial, Economic and Political Intelligence; still under Mezes, who was styled director of specialists and was also appointed United States delegate on the Central Territorial Commission. In the summer of 1927, because of failing health, he retired from active service as president of the College of the City of New York. He died at Altadena, California on September 10, 1931.
Sidney is known as the 5th President of the University of Texas at Austin, and peace conference official for World War I. Mezes's great contribution to the Central Territorial Commission enterprise was the selection and training of his staff of experts; to him belongs a considerable part of the credit for the able service which they rendered at Paris. At CCNY, Mezes established the schools of technology, business, and education, and expanded the college's summer, evening, and vocational programs. He raised admission standards and academic requirements. He also helped establish the New York City board of higher education. Enrollment at CCNY rose from 5, 200 in 1914 to roughly 20, 000 by the time of Mezes's resignation in 1927. Mezes contributed many articles dealing with philosophy or questions of college policy and administration to various scientific periodicals. Mezes Hall on the University of Texas campus was dedicated in his honor in April 1953.
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Sidney Edward was a tall, spare man, dark in complexion, dignified in his bearing. His most noteworthy qualities of mind and character were clarity in thought and speech, keenness in judgment whether of men or questions, an unusual range of learning and interest, cautious deliberation in planning combined with vigor and courage in execution, fairness, tolerance, and charity, and a modesty which almost reached the point of self-effacement.
On December 10, 1896, married Annie Olive Hunter at Austin. They had no children.
