. WILSON, Woonnow (1856—). An American educator and historian, born at Staunton, Va. Ile graduated at Princeton in 1879, then studied law at the University of Virginia. and for two years, in 1882-83. practiced in Atlanta, Ga. In 1853-85 lie studied jurisprudence, history, and political science at the newly opened Johns Hop kins University, from which in 1885 lie received the degree of Ph.D., presenting as his thesis a study of Congressional Goren/men ( 1885), which won for him a reputation as a scholar and cm clear and original thinker—a reputation that was enhanced by his subsequent works. He was an associate professor of history at Bryn Mawr in 1885-86, and associate professor of history and political science there in 1886-8S; filled a simi lar chair at Wesleyan University in 1888-90, and in 1890 became professor of jurispru dence and polities at Princeton, where he became exceedingly popular among the stu dents and was remarkably successful as a teacher. Upon the resignation of President Pat
ton in June, 1902, Wilson was elected president of Princeton University by the unanimous vote of the trustees, and on October 25th he was formally inaugurated. His election was regarded as particularly significant from the fact of his being the first layman to he chosen president of the university. ln addition to Coariressio»a/ and magazine articles and published addresses, his writings include: The State: Elements of Historical and Practical Politics (1859), a standard work on the subject; A is (Ed Master, and Miter Political Essays (1893) rision and Reunion, 18:29-1SS9 (1893), in the "Epochs of American History Series;" .Berm Literature, and tither Essays ( 1593) ; Georgia Washington (1896) ; and A History of the American People (5 vols., 1902), his most im portant work, and in some respects the best compendious account yet published of American political history.