Skip to Main Content

Samuel P. Capen

Born: Somerville, Massachusetts - March 21, 1878

Education:

  • Public elementary schools, Somerville, Massachusetts
  • Latin School, Somerville Massachusetts
  • BA and MA, Tufts College, 1898
  • MA, Harvard University, 1900
  • Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, 1902
  • University of Leipzig, 1901-1902

Honorary Degrees:

  • 1920  LL.D., Lafayette College
  • 1921  L.H.D., Tufts College
  • 1925  L.H.D., Hobart College
  • 1927  Sc.D., George Washington University
  • 1932  LL.D., University of Chicago
  • 1933  LL.D., University of Pennsylvania
  • 1937  Litt. D., Clark University
  • 1938  LL.D., McMaster University
  • 1944  LL.D., Syracuse University
  • 1946  LL.D., Alfred University
  • 1948  Doctor Honoris Causa, University of Rennes, France
  • 1949  LL.D., Colgate University
  • 1950  Dc.L., University of Buffalo

Professional Record

  • 1902-1903  Instructor, Modern Languages, Clark College
  • 1903-1908  Assistant Professor, Modern Languages, Clark College
  • 1908-1911  Professor, Modern Languages, Clark College
  • 1908-1911  President, Worchester Public Education Association
  • 1908-1914  Member, Worchester School Board
  • 1911-1914  Professor, German, Clark College
  • 1911-1914  Instructor in Higher Education, Clark College
  • 1914-1919  Specialist in Higher Education, U.S. Bureau of Education
  • 1919-1922  Director, American Council on Education
  • 1922-1950  Chancellor, University of Buffalo
  • 1950-          Chancellor Emeritus, University of Buffalo

  • 1917  Executive Secretary -- Educational Committee, Council on National Defense
  • 1918  Advisory Board -- Committee on Education and Special Training, U.S. War Department
  • 1919  Serbian Royal Order of St. Sava, Fourth Class (conferred)
  • 1919-1922  Vice President, British Society for Experimentation and Research in Education
  • 1922-1930  Member, Division of Education Relations, National Research Council
  • 1922-1923  President, Association of Urban Universities
  • 1923-1924  Chairman, American Council on Education
  • 1924-1940  Executive Committee Member, American Council on Education
  • 1925 (summer)  Visiting Professor of Education, Ohio State University
  • 1925-1932, Member, Commission on Medical Education
  • 1926 (summer), 1927 (summer)  Lecturer on Higher Education, University of Chicago
  • 1926-1946  Member, Administrative Board of International Education
  • 1927-1929  Member, Educational Advisory Board of John Simon Guggenheim Foundation
  • 1929-          Member, State Examination Board
  • 1929-1931  Member, National Advisory Committee on Education
  • 1930-1933  Chairman, Division of Educational Relations, National Research Council
  • 1930-1937  Problems and Plans Committee Chairman, American Council on Education
  • 1931-1956  Permanent Trustee, Tufts College
  • 1932-1933  President, New York State Association of Colleges and Universities
  • 1935            Author of Outline, Inquiry into the Character and Cost of Public Education in New York State
  • 1935-1936  Member, Council of One Hundred of the American Association for Adult Education
  • 1935-1938  Associate Director, Inquiry into the Character and Cost of Public Education in New York State
  • 1935-1950  Board of Trustees Member, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
  • 1936           Consultant, Educational Policies Commission
  • 1937-          Member, Board of Managers, Buffalo Museum of Science 
  • 1937-          Member, National Committee on General Education.
  • 1938-1942  Problems and Plans Committee Member, American Council on Education
  • 1940-1942  Board of Trustees Member, Bennington College
  • 1942-1945, 1946-1949  Board of Directors Member, Buffalo Fine Arts Academy
  • 1943-1945  Board of Trustees Secretary, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
  • 1945           Board of Trustees Vice Chairman, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
  • 1946-1947  Board of Trustees Chairman, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
  • 1946-1947  Board of Trustees Member, Associate Colleges of Upper New York
  • 1946-          Advisory Committee Member, American Institute of France
  • 1950           Honorary Member, Buffalo Fine Arts Academy

Offices in Educational Organizations

  • 1920-1922  Director, American Colleges and Universities for Exchanges of Students with France
  • 1920-1927  Secretary, Educational Research Committee of the Commonwealth Fund
  • 1922-1927  Chairman, Committee on Administrative Units of the Commonwealth Fund
  • 1927           Member, Buffalo City Planning Association
  • 1942           Member, U.S. Treasury Victory Fund Committee
  • 1942-1945  Member, Alien Enemy Hearing Board
  • 1944           Member, University of Pennsylvania War Fund Committee
  • 1944-          Member, Children's Hospital Advisory Board
  • 1945-1946  Member, Civic Committee on Full Employment
  • 1947-          Member, Army Advisory Committee (First Army)
  • 1948-1951  Member, Board of Directors, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society
  • 1949           Member, Board of Inquiry to Study Bell Aircraft Dispute
  • 1951           Member, New York State Crime Commission

Learned Societies

  • National Institute of Social Sciences
  • National Education Association
  • National Economic League
  • American Association for the Advancement of Science
  • Academy of Political and Social Science
  • Phi Beta Kappa
  • Phi Kappa Phi
  • Alpha Omega Alpha
  • Delta Phi Alpha
  • Phi Delta Kappa
  • Beta Gamma Sigma
  • Theta Delta Chi
  • Society for the Advancement of Education
  • Phi Beta Kappa Associates
  • The Newcomen Society

Honors

  • 1948  Ballou Medal, Tufts College
  • 1950  Phi Delta Kappa Buffalo Chapter, key awarded
  • 1951  The Chancellor Charles P. Norton, University of Buffalo
  • 1952  Brotherhood Award, National Conference of Christians and Jews (Buffalo Roundtable)

Editor

  • 1914            Lessing's 'Nathan der Weiss'
  • 1920-1922  Educational Record

Contributor

  • Encyclopedia Britannica

Author

  • 1915  "Opportunities for Foreign Students at Colleges and Universities in the United States"
  • 1918  "Resources and Standards of Colleges of Arts and Sciences"
  • 1921  "Facilities for Foreign Students in American Colleges and Universities"
  • 1921  "Opportunities for Study at American Graduate Schools"
  • 1948  "Reflections on Freedom in Education" Journal of Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 
  • 1953  Management of Universities
  •           Numerous reports, surveys, papers, U.S. Bureau of Education Bulletins, articles for educational periodicals

Surveys of Institutions

  • University of Oregon
  • University of Nevada
  • University  of Arizona
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • University of Puerto Rico
  • University of Hawaii
  • University of Denver
  • University of Wyoming
  • Brown University
  • Antioch College
  • Rollins College
  • Colorado College
  • Battle Creek College
  • Trinity College
  • College of St. Theresa
  • College of St. Catherines
  • Bradley Polytechnic Institute
  • Louisiana State University

Surveys of Educational Systems

  • Higher Institutions of Iowa
  • Higher Institutions of Washington
  • Higher Institutions of South Dakota
  • Higher Institutions of Alabama
  • Higher Institutions of Cleveland
  • Higher Education in the State of California
  • Higher Education in the State of Nebraska
  • Indiana State Educational System
  • Public Higher Education in Utah

Clubs

  • Saturn Club, Buffalo
  • Buffalo Club, Honorary Member, Buffalo
  • University Club, Honorary Member, Buffalo
  • Harvard Club of Buffalo, Buffalo
  • Century Club, New York City
  • Harvard Club, New York City
  • University Club of New York City
  • Buffalo Club of New York City
  • Cosmos Club, Washington, D.C.
  • University Club, Washington, D.C.
  • Chevy Chase Club, Maryland