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Frederick W. Hinitt
Hinitt at Central University c. 1905
4th President of Washington & Jefferson College
In office January 4, 1915 – June 30, 1918
Preceded by	James D. Moffat
Succeeded by	Samuel Charles Black
10th President of the Central University of Kentucky
In office July 1, 1904 – January 1, 1915
Preceded by	William C. Roberts
Succeeded by	William Arthur Ganfield
6th President of Parsons College
In office July 27, 1900 – April 1904
Preceded by	Daniel E. Jenkins
Succeeded by	Willis E. Parsons
Personal details
Born	November 21, 1866 Kidderminster, England
Died	October 25, 1928(1928-10-25) (aged 61) Indiana, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Spouse	Effie Humphreys ​ ​(m. 1892; died 1918)​
Education	Westminster College McCormick Theological Seminary University of Wooster
Signature

Frederick William Hinitt (November 21, 1866 – October 25, 1928) was an American Presbyterian pastor and academic administrator who was president of Parsons College, Central University of Kentucky (now Centre College), and Washington & Jefferson College for various periods between 1900 and 1918.

Early life and education

Frederick William Hinitt was born in Kidderminster, England, on November 21, 1866. He moved with his family to Missouri when he was fourteen years of age and shortly thereafter began studying architecture. He studied for the ministry at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1889. He earned another bachelor's degree from Westminster the following year and a Master of Arts degree the year after that. While at Westminster, he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. In May 1892, he earned a degree from McCormick Theological Seminary. Finally, he received a Doctor of Divinity degree from Westminster in 1893 and a Ph.D. from the University of Wooster, now known as the College of Wooster, in 1896.

Career

Pastor and Parsons president, 1892–1904

Following his graduation from McCormick, Hinitt became pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Warrensburg, Missouri. In 1895, he relocated to become pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Ottumwa, Iowa, and he joined the board of trustees of Parsons College in 1896. He was elected president of Parsons by the board on July 27, 1900; he succeeded Daniel E. Jenkins, who left to take a faculty position at the Omaha Presbyterian Theological Seminary. His inauguration was scheduled for June 1901 but ultimately delayed until October 15, 1901. The construction of a women's dormitory had been an issue at Parsons since at least 1883, when the board had determined that such a building was needed. The cornerstone was laid under Hinitt's administration on April 8, 1901, and the completed building, named Ballard Hall, opened as a women's dormitory and student union at the beginning of the 1901–1902 academic year at a total cost of over $17,500 (equivalent to $641,000 in 2023). Disaster struck on the morning of August 19, 1902, when a fire began on the second floor of Ankeny Hall and destroyed everything except the exterior walls of the building. It burned for four hours and threatened Hinitt's house, located nearby, though ultimately the house sustained damage only to its chimney. The damage to the school totaled $55,000 (equivalent to $1,937,000 in 2023), of which the school's insurance covered approximately half. Hinitt was vacationing at the time of the fire and the school did not reopen until after his return. While the fundraising and rebuilding efforts were ongoing, Hinitt traveled to meet with Andrew Carnegie in New York to ask for $15,000 (equivalent to $528,000 in 2023) to aid in the construction of a library; Carnegie agreed, provided the college matched that sum on their own. While Parsons was not initially able to satisfy this condition, Carnegie later agreed to the donation in 1905.

Central University of Kentucky, 1904–1915

Hinitt was offered the presidency of Central University of Kentucky, in Danville, Kentucky, on April 7, 1904. He arrived in Danville, greeted by a crowd, on April 14 and officially accepted the position on April 18. Upon his arrival, it was seen as relatively certain that he would accept the job, though this was temporarily cast into doubt as the result of a prank by Central students which involved letting loose a hog in the chapel prior to Hinitt's address. He chose to accept Central's offer over similar competing offers from Lane Theological Seminary and his alma mater of Westminster College. Hinitt gave the commencement address at the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary on May 6, 1904, and while he was not able to be present for Central's 1904 commencement exercises, he did travel to Danville to give the sermon at the school's baccalaureate service on June 5. Hinitt's salary as president began July 1, 1904, and he moved to Danville before the start of the 1904–1905 academic year. He was formally inaugurated on October 20, 1904. He was the school's first president to hold a Ph.D.

Major priorities of Hinitt's at Central were a reorganization of the curriculum and a strengthening of the school's academic standards.

Hinitt worked to increase the educational standards of Centre and pushed the state legislature to establish public high schools in every county of the state. He worked to distance the school from the Presbyterian Synod and became associated with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. In 1913, Centre built a new library funded with a $30,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie. Hinitt also pursued a plan for expansion, to include the remodeling of Breckinridge Hall, and building the Young Science Hall and Boyle-Humphrey Alumni Gymnasium.

Hinitt resigned from Centre on January 1, 1915. He was succeeded by John W. Redd, dean of the college, in an interim capacity before William Arthur Ganfield was hired as Central's eleventh president later that year.

Washington & Jefferson and later career, 1918–1927

To the Class of 1918, divided on this day, with so many of your men absent in service, I have but this word to say: fear God and serve your country!

Hinitt was named president of Washington & Jefferson College on September 23, 1914. He assumed the duties of the presidency on January 4, 1915, and was officially inaugurated June 15, 1915. His tenure as president of W&J was dominated by the United States' entry into World War I. Total college enrollment dropped to 180, a decrease of 50%. The commencement of 1918 was held early to accommodate men who were deployed to Europe, but only 24 were able to attend.

He resigned the presidency of W&J on June 30, 1918, to accept the pastorate of the First Presbyterian Church of Indiana, Pennsylvania. He took a year's leave of absence to work with the YMCA in army camps in England and to serve as an army field secretary in the American Expeditionary Force.

Personal life and death

Hinitt married Effie Humphreys in 1892, and the pair remained married until Effie's death on December 23, 1918. Frederick died on October 25, 1928, in Indiana, Pennsylvania.

Notes

1. Reporting by the Courier Journal incorrectly gives his birthdate as November 2.
2. Parsons (1925) errantly says the fire began "in the night of August 19, 1902", rather than early that morning.
3. Previously known as Centre College, the school consolidated with Central University, located in Richmond, Kentucky, to become Central University of Kentucky at the beginning of the 1901–1902 academic year during the presidency of Hinitt's predecessor, William C. Roberts. The school later resumed use of the Centre College name in December 1918 and maintains its use to the present day.
4. Hinitt's wife's name is occasionally given as "Elsie".
5. Several modern sources incorrectly give Hinitt's date of death as October 25, 1927.

References

1. ^ "Newly-elected president of Central University". Courier Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. April 9, 1904. p. 2. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "Cardinal and Blue 1905". Cardinal and Blue. Danville, Kentucky: Central University of Kentucky. 1905. p. 10. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
3. ^ "Frederick W. Hinitt, Centre College President (1904–1915)". CentreCyclopedia. Centre College. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
4. ^ Parsons 1925, p. 82.
5. ^ Parsons 1925, p. 81.
6. Parsons 1925, pp. 82–83.
7. ^ Parsons 1925, p. 83.
8. Marion, Doug (2011). "Remember when...with Doug Marion '70" (PDF). Parsons College E-News. Parsons College Alumni Association. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
9. "Parsons College is mass of ruins". Ottumwa Semi-Weekly Courier. Ottumwa, Iowa. August 21, 1902. p. 9. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Parsons College burned: Presbyterian school at Fairfield, Iowa, destroyed by fire early this morning". Evening Times-Republican. Marshalltown, Iowa. August 19, 1902. p. 1. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
11. Parsons 1925, pp. 86–87.
12. ^ "Dr. Hinitt to be president of Central". The Lexington Herald. Lexington, Kentucky. April 8, 1904. p. 1. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "Central University of Kentucky, Danville, Ky". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. August 28, 1901. p. 3. Retrieved November 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
14. Board of Trustees Minutes 1918, p. 5.
15. "To take presidency: Dr. Hinitt becomes head of Central University". The Owensboro Messenger. Owensboro, Kentucky. April 15, 1904. p. 1. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
16. "Hinitt accepts". The Gazette. Cedar Rapids, Iowa. April 18, 1904. p. 1. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
17. "College students put hog under a rostrum". The Gazette. Cedar Rapids, Iowa. April 16, 1904. p. 1. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "Commencement exercises close". The Owensboro Messenger. Owensboro, Kentucky. May 8, 1904. p. 12. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
19. "Centre College commencement exercises in progress this week". Courier Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. June 7, 1904. p. 4. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
20. Board of Trustees Minutes 1904, p. 45.
21. "On dit". Courier Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. August 9, 1904. p. 4. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
22. "Inauguration of new president of Central University". Hopkinsville Kentuckian. Hopkinsville, Kentucky. October 25, 1904. p. 8. Retrieved December 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
23. Weston 2019, pp. 59–60.
24. Weston 2019, p. 60.
25. Weston 2019, pp. 64–65.
26. ^ "Frederick W. Hinitt (Pro Tem. 1915–1918)". U. Grant Miller Library Digital Archives. Washington & Jefferson College. September 4, 2003. Archived from the original on July 18, 2012. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
27. "Hinitt, Elsie Humphreys". The Pittsburgh Post. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. December 25, 1918. p. 12. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
28. "Mrs. Effie H. Hinitt dead: daughter of W. H. Humphrey passed away in Pittsburg, Pa., [sic] hospital Monday". Fulton Daily Sun-Gazette. Fulton, Missouri. December 28, 1918. p. 1. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
29. "Former Centre president dies". Lexington Herald-Leader. Lexington, Kentucky. October 26, 1928. p. 3. Retrieved December 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.

Bibliography

• Centre College Board of Trustees Minutes (1901–1916). Vol. 5. Danville, Kentucky: Centre College. 1918.
• Centre College Board of Trustees Minutes (1918) (PDF). Vol. 6. Danville, Kentucky: Centre College. 1918.
• Parsons, Willis Edwards (1925). Fifty Years of Parsons College, 1875–1925. Fairfield, Iowa: Parsons College. OCLC 7936524.
• Weston, William J. (2019). Centre College: a Bicentennial History. Danville, Kentucky: Centre College. ISBN 978-1-6943-5863-9. OCLC 1142930784.

Media related to Frederick W. Hinitt at Wikimedia Commons

• 1866 births
• 1927 deaths
• Westminster College (Missouri) alumni
• McCormick Theological Seminary alumni
• Presidents of Centre College
• Presidents of Parsons College
• Presidents of Washington & Jefferson College
• 19th-century Presbyterian ministers
• American Presbyterian ministers
• College of Wooster alumni
• People from Kidderminster
• 19th-century American clergy
• Phi Delta Theta members