Introduction

The following pages highlight the leadership of Andrew Wylie, Theophilus A. Wylie, and, by extension, Indiana University Bloomington between Andrew Wylie's first year as president of Indiana University in 1829 and Theophilus Wylie's death in 1895. The exhibit focuses on primary materials related to nineteenth-century publication, education, presidential addresses, public science, scholarly libraries, science and religion, student experiences, and the Civil War.

Andrew Wylie, 1789-1851

Andrew Wylie

Andrew Wylie (1789-1851) became the first president of Indiana University after serving as president of both Jefferson and Washington Colleges in Pennsylvania.  During his tenure at IU, Wylie established the law department, increased enrollment, and guided the school through its rechartering in 1838.  Wylie served for 22 years until his untimely death, which resulted from accidentally cutting himself while chopping wood and developing pneumonia.  Notably, Wylie corresponded frequently with William Holmes McGuffey, most famous for The McGuffey's Readers, on issues relating to education.

Theophilus Wylie, 1810-1895

Theophilus Adam Wylie

Theophilus A. Wylie (1810-1895), Andrew Wylie's cousin, served as a faculty member in several different fields, including natural philosophy and chemistry (1837-1852, 1854-1863), ancient languages (1863-1867), and physics (1884-1895).  He served as the chair of the natural philosophy department from 1867-1886.  Wylie also served as the university librarian (1840-1852, 1854-1880), and as the university's vice president (1882-1884) and interim president (1859, 1860, and 1875).  In addition to his academic duties, Wylie served as a Presbyterian minister and was pastor of the Bloomington Reformed Presbyterian Church.

Introduction