William J. Murphy (Jesuit)

The Reverend William J. Murphy SJ
Murphy c. 1942
19th President of Boston College
In office 1939–1945
Preceded by	William J. McGarry
Succeeded by	William L. Keleher
Personal details
Born	(1895-10-20)October 20, 1895 Lawrence, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	April 28, 1973(1973-04-28) (aged 77) Methuen, Massachusetts, U.S.
Resting place	Weston College Cemetery
Alma mater	Boston College Woodstock College Weston College
Orders
Ordination	June 1927

William J. Murphy SJ (October 20, 1895 – April 28, 1973) was an American Catholic priest and Jesuit who was the president of Boston College from 1939 to 1945. Born in Massachusetts, he studied at Boston College for two years before entering the Society of Jesus in 1914. He later studied philosophy at Woodstock College and theology at Weston College, and taught at Fordham University and the College of the Holy Cross. In 1934, he was placed in charge of overseeing the schools in the Jesuit province of New England.

In 1939, Murphy became the president of Boston College. His tenure coincided with World War II, during which the school hosted soldiers in the Army Specialized Training Program. Enrollment dropped significantly, requiring the college to fundraise to continue operating. In 1941, the Archbishop of Boston donated a large estate to Boston College. After the end of his presidency, Murphy became the dean of the Shadowbrook novitiate and was later an instructor of tertians in Connecticut.