William Peterson (academic) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir William Peterson
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 29 May 1856 |
| Died | 4 January 1921 (aged 64) |
Sir William Peterson (born May 29, 1856 – died January 4, 1921) was an important leader in education. He was from Scotland and became the Principal of McGill University in Canada. He held this big job from 1895 to 1919.
Contents
A Life in Education
Early Life and Studies
William Peterson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1856. He was the fifth son of John Peterson and Grace Mountford Anderson. He was a very smart student.
He went to the University of Edinburgh and finished his studies there in 1875. Later, he continued his education at Corpus Christi College, Oxford in England, graduating in 1879. He was especially good at studying Latin and ancient Greek.
Leading University College, Dundee
In 1882, when he was only 26 years old, Peterson got a very important job. He became the first principal of a brand-new school called University College, Dundee. This was a big achievement for someone so young. He stayed in this role until 1895.
Even though he loved academic discussions, Peterson didn't like the political side of running a university. This was especially true because of the tricky relationship between University College and the older University of St Andrews.
Principal of McGill University
In 1895, Peterson moved to Montreal, Canada. He became the Principal of McGill University, a very famous school. He led McGill for almost 25 years, until 1919.
Even though he lived in Canada for a long time, he still thought of the United Kingdom as his home. He would always go back to the UK for his summer holidays. In 1919, while in Montreal, he had a stroke.
Honors and Later Life
Peterson received special honors for his work. In 1901, he was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG). This happened when the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (who later became King George V and Queen Mary) visited Canada.
Later, in 1915, he received an even higher honor. He was made a Knight Commander (KCMG) of the same order. This meant he could be called "Sir William Peterson."
In 1919, after his stroke, he returned to England. Sir William Peterson passed away in 1921 in Hampstead Heath.
 | James B. Knighten |
 | Azellia White |
 | Willa Brown |
