Algo Donmyer Henderson (April 26, 1897 – October 20, 1988) ^[1] was an educator, administrator, and author. He served as the president of Antioch College and is associated with their shared governance model. He was a chief planner of the State University of New York.

Early life and career

Algo Donmyer Henderson was born in 1897 in Solomon, Kansas, ^[2] where his family lived on a farm. ^[3] He was a second lieutenant in World War I. ^[3] Henderson worked several jobs to fund his higher education, and attended five colleges. ^[3] He graduated with University of Kansas law and Harvard University business degrees. ^[3]

In 1936, he became the president of Antioch College, a Yellow Springs, Ohio, experimental college ^[3] He had been the executive vice president and acting president from 1934 until then. ^[4] At 39, he was among the youngest American college presidents. ^[3] He started a bronze foundry at Antioch to teach students small business management. ^[3] Henderson is credited for Antioch's shared governance between faculty and administrators. ^[4]

In the late 1940s, Henderson became the associate director of the commission for creating a state university in New York State, leading to the State University of New York and public community colleges. ^[3] In 1947, Henderson left Antioch's presidency ^[4] to serve New York State as the associate education commissioner until 1950. ^[3] Upon his resignation, he joined the University of Michigan as a professor and began the first U.S. doctoral program for higher education administration. ^[3]

He retired from Michigan in 1967 ^[3] whereupon he and his wife moved to Orinda, California, when she became dean of admissions at California College of Arts and Crafts. ^[5] Henderson joined the University of California, Berkeley as a research educator. ^[3]

Death

Henderson died of cancer on October 20, 1988, in Kaiser Permanente at the age of 91. ^[3] He was living in Orinda, California. ^[3] He had written 14 books on education. ^[3]

Personal life

At the time of his death, his wife was Jean Glidden. ^[3] They met in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she earned her doctorate in 1967, and married in 1963. ^[5] Henderson had a son, daughter, and stepdaughter. ^[3]

References