William H. S. Demarest
Encyclopedia
The Reverend Dr. William Henry Steele Demarest (12 May 1863 in Hudson, New York
– 23 June 1956 in New Brunswick, New Jersey
) was the eleventh President
of Rutgers College
(now Rutgers University
) serving from 1906 to 1924.
(now the Rutgers Preparatory School
), Demarest graduated with high honors from Rutgers College
with a baccalaureate
degree in 1883.
From 1883 to 1886, Demarest taught at the Rutgers Preparatory School
. In 1888 he graduated from the New Brunswick Theological Seminary
, and that same year was ordained
to the ministry of the Dutch Reformed Church
, where he served until 1901 at which time he returned to the Seminary, and was appointed Professor of Ecclesiastical History and Church Government. In 1905, Demarest was named as acting President of the College, and was elected by the Trustees to succeed Austin Scott
as President in early 1906. During his tenure, the New Jersey College for Women (now Douglass College) was established in 1918, through private donors and increased appropriation from the State of New Jersey, new facilities were constructed for instruction in Engineering
, Chemistry
, Entomology
, and Ceramic
s and dormitories were built to accommodate the increased enrollment. Following his resignation as President in 1924, Demarest served for ten years as president of the New Brunswick Theological Seminary
and remained active in the affairs of the University. In 1924, he published History of Rutgers College. On the College Avenue section of the college's New Brunswick Campus, a dormitory was built in honor of Demarest. Aptly named Demarest Hall
, it is located across the street from the Rutgers Student Center.
Hudson, New York
Hudson is a city located along the west border of Columbia County, New York, United States. The city is named after the adjacent Hudson River and ultimately after the explorer Henry Hudson.Hudson is the county seat of Columbia County...
– 23 June 1956 in New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
) was the eleventh President
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 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...
(now 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 from 1906 to 1924.
Biography
Having been educated at the Rutgers Grammar SchoolRutgers Preparatory School
Rutgers Preparatory School is a private, coeducational, university preparatory day school located in Somerset, New Jersey serving students in Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade...
(now the Rutgers Preparatory School
Rutgers Preparatory School
Rutgers Preparatory School is a private, coeducational, university preparatory day school located in Somerset, New Jersey serving students in Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade...
), Demarest graduated with high honors 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...
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 in 1883.
From 1883 to 1886, Demarest taught at the Rutgers Preparatory School
Rutgers Preparatory School
Rutgers Preparatory School is a private, coeducational, university preparatory day school located in Somerset, New Jersey serving students in Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade...
. In 1888 he graduated 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...
, and that same year was ordained
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
to the ministry of the Dutch Reformed Church
Dutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church was a Reformed Christian denomination in the Netherlands. It existed from the 1570s to 2004, the year it merged with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands to form the Protestant Church in the...
, where he served until 1901 at which time he returned to the Seminary, and was appointed Professor of Ecclesiastical History and Church Government. In 1905, Demarest was named as acting President of the College, and was elected by the Trustees to succeed Austin Scott
Austin Scott
Austin Scott was the tenth President of Rutgers College , serving from 1891 to 1906.-Biography:Scott was born in Toledo, Ohio, to Jeremiah Austin Scott and Sarah Remey...
as President in early 1906. During his tenure, the New Jersey College for Women (now Douglass College) was established in 1918, through private donors and increased appropriation from the State of New Jersey, new facilities were constructed for instruction in Engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, Entomology
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
, and Ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
s and dormitories were built to accommodate the increased enrollment. Following his resignation as President in 1924, Demarest served for ten years as president of 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...
and remained active in the affairs of the University. In 1924, he published History of Rutgers College. On the College Avenue section of the college's New Brunswick Campus, a dormitory was built in honor of Demarest. Aptly named Demarest Hall
Demarest Hall
Demarest Hall is a dormitory that is part of Rutgers College in New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA. It is named for Reverend William Henry Steele Demarest, who was the eleventh President of Rutgers College from 1906 to 1924.-General information:...
, it is located across the street from the Rutgers Student Center.