Abbott Lawrence Lowell

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Abbott Lawrence Lowell

Abbott Lawrence Lowell 1856-1943, American educator, president of Harvard (1909-33), b. Boston, grad. Harvard (B.A., 1877; LL.B., 1880); brother of Percival Lowell and Amy Lowell. He practiced law in Boston for 17 years and joined the Harvard faculty in 1897 as a lecturer in political science, becoming a professor in 1900. In 1909 he succeeded Charles W. Eliot as president. As Eliot had developed the graduate schools of Harvard, Lowell turned his attention to the undergraduate college. To combat specialization, he introduced (1914) a modification of the elective system, established (1917) the requirement of a general examination in their major subject for candidates for the bachelor's degree, and instituted (1917) the tutorial system for upper classmen. He also put into operation (1931), in seven new residence halls along the Charles River, his "house plan," whereby, through residential units like those in English universities, he hoped to secure the advantages of intellectual and social cohesion. Lowell is remembered for his spirited defense of academic freedom and for his advocacy of American participation in the League of Nations. His presidency saw a period of tremendous physical growth at Harvard and the reorganization of the finances of the university. His writings include Essays on Government (new ed. 1969), Public Opinion and Popular Government (1913, repr. 1969), Conflicts of Principle (1932), Biography of Percival Lowell (1935), and What a University President Has Learned (1938, repr. 1969).

Bibliography: See biography by H. A. Yeomans (1948).

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Lowell, Abbott Lawrence

The Oxford Companion to American Literature | 1995 | | Â© The Oxford Companion to American Literature 1995, originally published by Oxford University Press 1995. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Lowell, Abbott Lawrence (1856–1943), brother of Amy Lowell, was a Boston lawyer and professor of political science at Harvard, of which he became president (1909–33). During his presidency the undergraduate curriculum was revised to include tutorial programs offered in residential houses like the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge. His books include Essays on Government (1889), The Influence of Party upon Legislation (1902), Public Opinion and Popular Government (1913), Public Opinion in War and Peace (1923), and Conflicts of Principle (1932).

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James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "Lowell, Abbott Lawrence." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. Oxford University Press. 1995. Encyclopedia.com. 8 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "Lowell, Abbott Lawrence." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. Oxford University Press. 1995. Encyclopedia.com. (December 8, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O123-LowellAbbottLawrence.html

James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "Lowell, Abbott Lawrence." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. Oxford University Press. 1995. Retrieved December 08, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O123-LowellAbbottLawrence.html

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