Bruce Ryburn Payne

Bruce Ryburn Payne (1874-1937) was an American educator. He was the founding president of Peabody College (now part of Vanderbilt University) from 1911 to 1937.

Early life Bruce Ryburn Payne was born on February 18, 1874, in Catawba County, North Carolina. His father, Jordan Nathaniel Payne, was a Methodist minister and teacher. In 1957, Peabody College dedicated a building on the north end of its campus to Dr. Payne, now called Payne Hall. Decades later, in 1979, Peabody College was acquired by Vanderbilt University.