Philip Milledoler Brett
Encyclopedia
Philip Milledoler Brett, Sr. (17 February 1871 – 2 July 1960) was the thirteenth President
of Rutgers University
serving in an acting capacity from 1930 to 1931.
, New Jersey
and was the great-great-grandson of Philip Milledoler
. While attending Rutgers, he was the captain of the football team that played Princeton University
in 1892 in which he was apocryphally credited with saying: "I'd die to win this game." He graduated with a baccalaureate
degree from Rutgers College
in 1892, and then received a Bachelor of Laws
(LL.B.) from the New York Law School
and a degree from the New Brunswick Theological Seminary
.
He married and had two children: Philip Milledoler Brett, Jr. and Margaret Brett Tenney.
He received an honorary degree from Rutgers University
in 1916. At the time of his selection as acting President, Brett was made a partner in the Manhattan
law firm
of Nevius, Brett and Kellogg in 1898.
During the Great Depression
, the University was in disagreement with the newly-established State Board of Regents, and morale
was low among the faculty. After eighteen months, morale was restored and despite the requests of faculty for him to accept a full appointment as president, Brett declined. He continued his service as a Trustee
of the University for over fifty years.
He retired from law in 1948, and died on 2 July 1960 at his home in Manhattan
.
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
serving in an acting capacity from 1930 to 1931.
Biography
He was born in NewarkNewark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and was the great-great-grandson of Philip Milledoler
Philip Milledoler
Philip Milledoler was a minister and the fifth President of Rutgers College serving from 1825 until 1840.-Biography:Philip Milledoler was born in 1775 in Rhinebeck, New York...
. While attending Rutgers, he was the captain of the football team that played Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1892 in which he was apocryphally credited with saying: "I'd die to win this game." He graduated with a baccalaureate
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
degree from Rutgers College
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
in 1892, and then received a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
(LL.B.) from the New York Law School
New York Law School
New York Law School is a private law school in the TriBeCa neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in New York City. New York Law School is one of the oldest independent law schools in the United States. The school is located within four blocks of all major courts in Manhattan. In 2011, New York Law School...
and a degree from the New Brunswick Theological Seminary
New Brunswick Theological Seminary
New Brunswick Theological Seminary is a professional and graduate school founded in 1784, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, to educate ministers for the congregations of the Reformed Church in America...
.
He married and had two children: Philip Milledoler Brett, Jr. and Margaret Brett Tenney.
He received an honorary degree from Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
in 1916. At the time of his selection as acting President, Brett was made a partner in the Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
of Nevius, Brett and Kellogg in 1898.
During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, the University was in disagreement with the newly-established State Board of Regents, and morale
Morale
Morale, also known as esprit de corps when discussing the morale of a group, is an intangible term used to describe the capacity of people to maintain belief in an institution or a goal, or even in oneself and others...
was low among the faculty. After eighteen months, morale was restored and despite the requests of faculty for him to accept a full appointment as president, Brett declined. He continued his service as a Trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
of the University for over fifty years.
He retired from law in 1948, and died on 2 July 1960 at his home in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.