Robert Devore Leigh | |
|---|---|
 Leigh around 1928, aged 37 | |
| President of Bennington College Dean, School of Library Science, Columbia University | |
| In office 1926–1940 | |
| Succeeded by | Lewis Webster Jones |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 11, 1890 Nebraska |
| Died | January 31, 1961 (aged 70–71) Chicago |
| Cause of death | Heart attack |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse(s) | Mildred Adelaide Boardman Leigh 1916-1959 Carma Leigh 1960- |
| Education | Bowdoin College Columbia University |
| Occupation | Scholar, Educational administrator |
Robert Devore Leigh (b. 1890 Nebraska; d. Chicago, January 31, 1961) was an American educator, political scientist, and leader in the field of library science. He was the founding president of Bennington College, and served there from 1928-1941. He made the college a center of progressive education, designing a curriculum with no rigid requirements, intensive instruction, off-campus study, and an emphasis on the arts. He attracted a faculty that included distinguished writers, artists, and dancers.
After resigning the college presidency in 1940, he served with the Foreign Broadcast Intelligence Service during World War II. After the war he was director of the University of Chicago's Commission on Freedom of the Press. He next became dean of the Columbia University School of Library Science, 1956-1959.[1]
- ^ "Dr. Robert Leigh of Columbia, 70". The New York Times. New York Times. February 1, 1961. Retrieved May 29, 2022.