Frank Palmer Speare

Frank Palmer Speare (1869 – May 28, 1954) was the first president of Northeastern University, serving from 1898 to 1940. He began the evening program at the Boston YMCA that later became Northeastern. As founding president, he oversaw the launching of the university's evening law school, the now-defunct automobile school, the evening polytechnic schools, the school of commerce and finance, and the co-operative engineering school.

Frank Palmer Speare
Speare pictured in The Cauldron 1921, Northeastern yearbook
1st President of
Northeastern University
In office
1898–1940
Preceded byNone
Succeeded byCarl Stephens Ell
Personal details
BornMarch 31, 1869
Dorchester, Massachusetts[1]
DiedMay 28, 1954 (aged 84–85)[1]
Spouse(s)May Cushing Whiting,[1] Katherine Vinton
ChildrenMarjory Vinton Speare
ParentsCharles Speare, Jeanette Palmer
Alma materBridgewater State Teachers College, 1889[1]

In addition to being an educator, he was also a sailor, farmer, and music enthusiast. He composed songs ("Silver Bay, a Song of Vacation Days") and other music (the "Northeastern March"), plays (Mystic Waters, or The Spirit of Winnipesaukee), and musicals.


Notes
  1. Ohles, Frederik (1997), Biographical Dictionary of Modern American Educators, Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, p. 300
  • Frank Palmer Speare: Educational Visionary. Parr, Jessica. the online edition of a Northeastern University Libraries exhibition. Boston: Northeastern University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections, 2004. Contains numerous photographs plus biographical information.
  • The Frank Palmer Speare papers, 1896-1951 are located in the Northeastern University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections Department, Boston, MA.
Academic offices
Preceded by
None		 President of Northeastern University
1898– 1940		 Succeeded by
Carl Stephens Ell


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