James A. MacAlister
Encyclopedia
Drexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with the main campus located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a noted financier and philanthropist. Drexel offers 70 full-time undergraduate programs and accelerated degrees...
.
Early life
Born in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, MacAlister emigrated to the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
in 1850 at the age of 10 with his family consisting of his mother and sisters. He graduated from Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
in 1856 and then went on to study law at Albany Law School
Albany Law School
Albany Law School is an ABA accredited law school based in Albany, New York. It was founded in 1851 by Amos Dean , Amasa Parker, Ira Harris and others....
, graduating in 1864. After studying law for several years MacAlister took the position of first superintendent of Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
's public school system in 1874. He then went on to become regent of the Wisconsin normal school
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
s in 1878 following that position, MacAlister was appointed the first superintendent of the Philadelphia public school district in 1883.
Drexel Institute of Art, Science, and Industry
MacAlister was appointed president of Drexel Institute of Art, Science, and Industry in 1891, and took office on January 1, 1892. At the time of his appointment Drexel was not a degree granting institute but merely a "school for the study of design and for vocational training in the most general and best sense." MacAlister was chosen as president because his educational beliefs coincided with those of the Institute, including his advocation of practical and vocational training. Initially the Institute had a graduating class of 70 students however under MacAlister's long-term guidance the Institute expanded to a graduating class of over 500 by the time he resigned. MacAlister resigned on June 13, 1913 due to failing health and later died in December at sea on his way to Bermuda.