Robert Judson Aley, the rural schoolteacher who became a university president.

Many talented classroom teachers go on to prominent positions in institutions of higher learning. One of these is Robert Aley, a rural schoolteacher who became the president of two universities.

Robert Judson Aley was born in Coal City, Jefferson Township, Indiana, on May 11, 1863. Young Robert inaugurated his teaching career at the tender age of 14.

After three years of teaching in rural schools, Robert enrolled at Valparaiso University. Valparaiso is a private Lutheran university located in Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana. There Robert earned his Bachelors degree in 1882. He earned his Masters degree from Indiana University in 1890. He also completed graduate courses at Stanford University. In 1897, he earned his Doctorate in Mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania.

After he earned his degrees, Robert accepted a position as a professor of mathematics at Vincennes University in Vincennes, Indiana. He worked there from 1888 to 1891. Then Robert served as the fifth president of the University of Maine. His tenure there ran for ten years, from Jan., 1911, to August 1921. A fervent supporter of United States involvement in World War I, Robert ordered mandatory attendance during pro-war events in and near the campus. He spent the next ten years as the president of Butler College in Indiana, from 1921 to 1931.

This amazing educator also became the author of several books. One of these is Contributions to the Geometry of the Triangle and the State Manual and Uniform Course of Study for the Elementary Schools of Indiana. He also published The Story of Indiana and Its People, co-authored with Max Aley.

Sadly, Robert Aley succumbed to pneumonia in 1935. He was 72 years old. To see additional information about Robert, click on this link to the University of Maine.