Calvin H. French (1917-1919)

Calvin H. French (1917-1919)

Description

Calvin H. French was a well-educated minister and college administer who served as the fifth president of Rollins College from 1917-1919.

Born on June 13, 1862, in Wellsville, Ohio, to Rev. Charles P. and Mary J. French. His early years were spent in Illinois after his family moved to LaSalle County when he was eight. French received his primary education in local public schools before graduating from Streator High School in 1883. He then attended Lake Forest University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1888 and later a Master of Arts from the same institution. Pursuing a religious vocation, French enrolled in Union Theological Seminary in New York City and completed his divinity studies in 1891. That same year, he was licensed and ordained.

French served as pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland, South Dakota, from 1891 to 1898. During his final year there, he also acted as principal of it’s school, Scotland Academy. When the Academy merged with Pierre University, forming Huron College, French was appointed as president. Over the following years, he was instrumental in building the college’s infrastructure and raising a large endowment.

French then assumed the presidency of Rollins College in 1917, a challenging period marked by financial instability and declining enrollment in the wake of World War I. In 1919, he presented a bold plan to the Board of Trustees aimed at transforming Rollins from a struggling college into a major university supported by a $3 million endowment. French tied his future at Rollins to the acceptance of this ambitious proposal, warning that he would resign if the Board did not approve it.

The Board, however, was unprepared to endorse such a large-scale campaign given the uncertain post-war climate and ongoing financial difficulties. They rejected French’s plan and accepted his resignation. Following his departure, the Board appointed previous Rollins President George Morgan Ward as acting president while searching for a new campus leader.

First Year of Presidency

1917

Calvin H. French (1917-1919)
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