Wilbur Lucius Cross
Encyclopedia
Wilbur Lucius Cross, Ph. D. (April 10, 1862 – October 5, 1948) was an American educator
and political figure who was the 71st Governor of Connecticut
for eight years.
, Cross graduated from Yale University (B.A. 1885) and served as principal of Staples High School
in Westport, Connecticut
for a short time around 1885 before returning to Yale as a graduate student, earning a Ph.D. in
English literature in 1889.
Cross, who became a well-known literary critic
, was Professor
of English
at Yale University
and the first Dean
of the Yale Graduate School
, from 1916 to 1930. Along with Tucker Brooke, Cross was the editor of the Yale Shakespeare
; he also edited the Yale Review
for almost 30 years. He wrote several books, including Life and Times of Laurence Sterne (1909) and The History of Henry Fielding (1918), and several books on the English novel.
After retiring from Yale, Cross was elected governor of Connecticut
as a Democrat
in 1930 and served as Governor for four two-year terms, from 1931 to 1939. He was defeated in 1938 in his attempt to gain re-election for a fifth term. He is credited with passage of several items of reform legislation during his tenure of governor, including measures related to the abolition of child labor
, governmental reorganization, and improved factory laws.
Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, Connecticut
, Wilbur Cross School in Bridgeport, Connecticut
, and Connecticut's Wilbur Cross Parkway
and Wilbur Cross Highway
were named in his honor, as was the Wilbur L. Cross Medal for outstanding achievement in professional life, awarded by Yale. The first campus library at the University of Connecticut
(then Connecticut State College), built with bond revenues authorized during Cross' governorship and opened in 1939, was named for Cross in 1942.
Wilbur Cross's autobiography
, Connecticut Yankee, was published in 1943. He died on October 5, 1948 in New Haven, aged 86.
As Literary Figure, Not Politician, University of Connecticut
Advance, November 12, 2002
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
and political figure who was the 71st Governor of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
for eight years.
Biography
Born in 1862 in Mansfield, ConnecticutMansfield, Connecticut
Mansfield is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,720 at the 2000 census.Mansfield was incorporated in October 1702 from the Town of Windham, in Hartford County. When Windham County was formed on 12 May 1726, Mansfield then became part of that county...
, Cross graduated from Yale University (B.A. 1885) and served as principal of Staples High School
Staples High School
Staples High School is a public secondary school, that opened on April 26, 1884 located in the town of Westport, Connecticut, USA. Staples High School is named after its founder Horace Staples who founded the school in 1884. The school was first located at Riverside Ave. and moved to its current...
in Westport, Connecticut
Westport, Connecticut
-Neighborhoods:* Saugatuck – around the Westport railroad station near the southwestern corner of the town – a built-up area with some restaurants, stores and offices....
for a short time around 1885 before returning to Yale as a graduate student, earning a Ph.D. in
English literature in 1889.
Cross, who became a well-known literary critic
Literary criticism
Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals...
, was Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and the first Dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the Yale Graduate School
Graduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
, from 1916 to 1930. Along with Tucker Brooke, Cross was the editor of the Yale Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
; he also edited the Yale Review
Yale Review
The Yale Review is the self-proclaimed oldest literary quarterly in the United States. It is published by Yale University.It was founded originally in 1819 as The Christian Spectator. At its origin it was published to support Evangelicalism, but over time began to publish more on history and...
for almost 30 years. He wrote several books, including Life and Times of Laurence Sterne (1909) and The History of Henry Fielding (1918), and several books on the English novel.
After retiring from Yale, Cross was elected governor of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
in 1930 and served as Governor for four two-year terms, from 1931 to 1939. He was defeated in 1938 in his attempt to gain re-election for a fifth term. He is credited with passage of several items of reform legislation during his tenure of governor, including measures related to the abolition of child labor
Child labor
Child labour refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labour. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries...
, governmental reorganization, and improved factory laws.
Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, Wilbur Cross School in Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
, and Connecticut's Wilbur Cross Parkway
Wilbur Cross Parkway
The Wilbur Cross Parkway is a limited access road in Connecticut, comprising the portion of Route 15 between Milford and Meriden. It is named after Wilbur Lucius Cross, a former governor of the state...
and Wilbur Cross Highway
Wilbur Cross Highway
The Wilbur Cross Highway is the designation for the portion of old Route 15 from Wethersfield in Connecticut, through Hartford and Manchester, to the Massachusetts Turnpike in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. The highway was built in the 1940s before the Interstate Highway era...
were named in his honor, as was the Wilbur L. Cross Medal for outstanding achievement in professional life, awarded by Yale. The first campus library at the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
(then Connecticut State College), built with bond revenues authorized during Cross' governorship and opened in 1939, was named for Cross in 1942.
Wilbur Cross's autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, Connecticut Yankee, was published in 1943. He died on October 5, 1948 in New Haven, aged 86.
External links
As Literary Figure, Not Politician, University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
Advance, November 12, 2002