Charles A. (Charles Alexander) McMurry

Born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, on February 18, 1857, he studied at Illinois Normal University’s laboratory school, graduated from the University of Michigan in 1876, and later continued his education in Germany, where he was influenced by the educational ideas of Johann Friedrich Herbart.

After completing his doctorate in 1887, he built a career in teacher training and school leadership. He worked at Illinois State Normal University, then joined Northern Illinois State Normal School in DeKalb in 1899, where he became director of the Normal Training School in 1900. In 1915, he went on to serve as dean of elementary education at George Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville.

He was a prolific writer as well as an administrator, producing dozens of books, monographs, and articles on teaching method, elementary education, and school reading. He died in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 23, 1929.