William Mather Lewis

William Mather Lewis (March 24, 1878 – November 11, 1945) was an American teacher, university president, local politician, and a state and national government official. He was mayor of Lake Forest, Illinois from 1915 to 1917, President of George Washington University from 1923 to 1927 and the President of Lafayette College from 1927 to 1945.

Early life Lewis was born in Howell, Michigan on March 24, 1878. His father was Rev. James Lewis, minister of the Howell church from 1875 to 1882, and his mother was Mary Farrand.

Education Lewis attended Knox College. and an A.M. from Illinois College in 1902. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta.

Career Lake Forest Lewis was briefly principal of Whipple Academy, Jacksonville (a preparatory school of Illinois College), before returning to Lake Forest to be head of the department of oratory and debate at Lake Forest Academy for three years. In 1905 he became headmaster at the academy, resigning in 1913 to travel and study in Europe.

State and national roles Lewis was field secretary of the Navy League of the United States in the Midwest in 1915.

During World War I, he was executive secretary of the National Committee of Patriotic Societies. Lewis was director of the savings division of the United States Treasury Department and chief of educational service for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce from 1921 to 1923.

University career Lewis was President of George Washington University from June 1923 He was succeeded by Ralph Cooper Hutchison.

Other Lewis was a contributor to the Encyclopædia Britannica.

Personal life He married Ruth Durand in Lake Forest on December 20, 1906 and they had a daughter, Sarah Durand Lewis Betts Hale (1907–2006). They had a summer home in Colebrook, Connecticut, where they later lived.

Books Lewis, William Mather. Selected Readings from the Most Popular Novels. Hinds and Noble, 1903. Lewis, William Mather. The Voices of Our Leaders. Hinds, Hayden & Elderedge, Inc., 1917 Lewis, William Mather. From a College Platform: Addresses. Dial Press, Inc., 1932.