Emerson College - Emersonian Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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10 + - The E in e r s o n i a n President Wlllm J Rolfe William James Rolfe, son of John and Lydia Davis (Moulton) Rolfe, was born in Newburyport, Mass., Dec. 10, 1827. His boyhood was mainly passed in Lowell, Mass., where he was fitted for college in the High School. He entered Amherst College in 1845, graduating in 1840. He received the honorary degree of A.M. at Harvard in 1859, and the same degree in 1865 at Amherst, where in 1887 he received the fur- ther honor of Doctor of Letters. From 1869 to 1893 he was one of the editors of the Popular Science News (formerly the Boston Journal of Chemistry), and for nearly twenty years had charge of the department of 1 S h ak espearia na ’ ’ in the Literary World and The Critic, being one of the “staff’ contributors” of the latter. In 1865 he published a “Handbook of Latin Poetry” in conjunction with J. H. Hanson, A.M., of Water- ville,Me. In 1867 lie published an edition of Craik’s “English of Shakespeare. ” Between 1867 and 1869, in connection with J. A. Gillett, he brought out the “Cambridge Course in Physics,” in six volumes. In 1870 he edited Shakespeare’s “Merchant of Venice,” and followed it up with editions of Julius Caesar, “The Tempest” and “Henry VIII.” Other plays were called for, both by teachers and the general reading- public, and in 1883 the edition was completed in forty volumes. In 1906 Dr. Rolfe finished a thorough revision of this edition, also in forty volumes. It has long been reckoned one of the standard” critical authorities on Shakespeare, being quoted as such by leading English and German editors. He has been an instructor in the summer sessions of the State University of Illinois, Colorado College, and several other Summer schools. In 1903 lie was elected President of Emerson College of Oratory, a position which he still holds. p-

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The Emersonian 9

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The Emersonia 11 OFFICERS William J. Rolfe, - - President Henry Lawrence South wick, - Dean Charles Winslow Kidder, - Registrar Jessie Eldridge Southwicic, Directress Alice W. Emerson, - - Preceptress J. A. Garber, - Corresponding Secretary Issaciiar H. Eldridge, - Treasurer Frederick A. Davis, - Medical Adviser Mabel Elsworth Todd, Associate Preceptress TRUSTEES. Walter Bradley Tripp, Jessie Eldridge Southwick, Charles Winslow Kidder, William Howland Kenney, Henry Lawrence Southwick. ADVISORY BOARD. William J. Rolf E, President Emerson College of Oratory, j Charles P. Gardiner, p t of Ne M T I g,and Con8erva ‘ [ex-officio. Henry L A W RENCESOUTHWICK, Dea 1 egJ 5 f Tor°a I tory. 1 ' J Eben Charlton Black, A.M., LL.D. Rev. Albert E. Winship, D.D. Richard Burton, Pii.D.