Edwin O. Smith
American politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Edwin Oscar Smith (1871 – October 28, 1960) was a Connecticut politician who served 28 years in the Connecticut House of Representatives[1] and, from April through September, 1908, was president of the Connecticut Agricultural College,[2] which is now the University of Connecticut.
Edwin O. Smith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives | |
| In office 1933–1960 | |
| Acting President of the University of Connecticut | |
| In office 1908 | |
| Preceded by | Rufus W. Stimson |
| Succeeded by | Charles L. Beach |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1871 Albany, New York, U.S. |
| Died | October 28, 1960 (aged 89) Willimantic, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Alma mater | Wesleyan University |
| Occupation | Politician, teacher, coach |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
|---|---|
| Football | |
| 1894 | DePauw |
| 1902–1905 | Connecticut |
| Baseball | |
| 1902–1905 | Connecticut |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 18–17–1 (football) 13–9–1 (baseball) |
Biography
Smith was born in Albany, New York. He attended Wesleyan University, graduating in 1893.[1] He played professional baseball on teams in Hartford, Connecticut, and the Adirondacks region of New York and he was a baseball and football coach at Depauw University.[3]
Between 1901 and 1916 he was a member of the faculty of the Connecticut Agricultural College (now the University of Connecticut) in Storrs, teaching English and economics.[1] He served as the school's football and baseball coach for four seasons, from 1902 to 1905, compiling a 14–13–1 record in football and a 13–9–1 record in baseball.[4][5] From April through September 1908 he held the school's interim presidency.[2]
A Republican, Smith was elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1932 and served 14 consecutive two-year terms in the House. He was seeking re-election to a fifteenth term when he died from a heart attack on October 28, 1960. He also was a member of the Connecticut State Board of Education between 1935 and 1939. As a state legislator, he played a significant role in the enactment of legislation related to education and served as chairman of the Legislative Committee on Education that in 1954 established a formula for state government financial support of public schools.[1][3]
At the time of his death at the age of 89, Smith was the oldest and longest-serving member of the Connecticut General Assembly.[1]
E. O. Smith High School
E. O. Smith High School, established in 1958 as a regional school to serve the towns of Ashford and Mansfield, is named for him.[6] Originally part of the University of Connecticut campus, owned by the state, and operated by the university, it has been operated as a regional public school since 1987.[7] In 1993 the town of Willington was added to the region served by the school.[7]
Head coaching record
Football
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DePauw (Indiana Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1894) | |||||||||
| 1894 | DePauw | 4–4 | |||||||
| DePauw: | 4–4 | ||||||||
| Connecticut Aggies (Athletic League of New England State Colleges) (1902–1905) | |||||||||
| 1902 | Connecticut | 4–3 | |||||||
| 1903 | Connecticut | 3–5 | |||||||
| 1904 | Connecticut | 5–3–1 | |||||||
| 1905 | Connecticut | 2–2 | |||||||
| Connecticut: | 14–13–1 | ||||||||
| Total: | 18–17–1 | ||||||||
Baseball
The following table depicts Smith's record as head baseball coach at Connecticut.[8]
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut Aggies (1902–1905) | |||||||||
| 1902 | Connecticut | 3–1 | |||||||
| 1903 | Connecticut | 3–4 | |||||||
| 1904 | Connecticut | 3–1 | |||||||
| 1905 | Connecticut | 3–3–1 | |||||||
| Total: | 12–9–1 | ||||||||