Frank Palmer Speare
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Frank Palmer Speare | |
|---|---|
 Speare pictured in The Cauldron 1921, Northeastern yearbook | |
| 1st President of Northeastern University | |
| In office 1898–1940 | |
| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | Carl Stephens Ell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 31, 1869 |
| Died | May 28, 1954 (aged 84–85) [1] |
| Spouse(s) | May Cushing Whiting,[1] Katherine Vinton |
| Children | Marjory Vinton Speare |
| Parent(s) | Charles Speare, Jeanette Palmer |
| Alma mater | Bridgewater State Teachers College, 1889[1] |
Frank Palmer Speare (1869 – May 28, 1954) was the first president of Northeastern University, serving from 1898 to 1940.[citation needed] He began the evening program at the Boston YMCA that later became Northeastern. As founding president, he oversaw the launching of the university's evening law school, the now-defunct automobile school, the evening polytechnic schools, the school of commerce and finance, and the co-operative engineering school.[citation needed]
In addition to being an educator, he was also a sailor, farmer, and music enthusiast.[citation needed] He composed songs ("Silver Bay, a Song of Vacation Days") and other music (the "Northeastern March"), plays (Mystic Waters, or The Spirit of Winnipesaukee), and musicals.[citation needed]
