author
Charles Kendall Adams
1835–1902
A leading American educator and historian of the late 19th century, he helped shape university life at Cornell and the University of Wisconsin. He was especially known for bringing more rigorous, research-focused study into higher education.
2 Audiobooks
A History of the United States
by Charles Kendall Adams, William P. (William Peterfield) Trent
Christopher Columbus: His Life and His Work
by Charles Kendall Adams
About the author
Born in Derby, Vermont, in 1835, Charles Kendall Adams became an American educator and historian whose career was closely tied to the rise of modern universities. He studied at the University of Michigan, later taught history there, and was widely noted for encouraging the seminar style of study that had become important in European scholarship.
Adams went on to serve as the second president of Cornell University from 1885 to 1892. During his time there, Cornell expanded its academic ambitions, including the creation of a law school and stronger support for research and library building. He later became president of the University of Wisconsin, serving from 1892 to 1901.
Alongside his university leadership, Adams also worked as a historian and editor, including service connected with major reference works. He died in Redlands, California, in 1902, and is remembered as one of the educators who helped move American higher education toward a more serious research model.