ABSTRACT
Hadley, Hiram (1833-1922). American educator. A farmer’s son, Hadley was born in Wilmington, Ohio, and was educated at the Friends’ Boarding School, later Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana, and at Haverford College, Pennsylvania. He began teaching while still a student, at the Friends’ School, Grassy Run, Ohio, 1850, at Carthage, Indiana, 1854-6, and at the Friends’ Academy, Richmond, 1856-63. County examiner of schools, Wayne County, Indiana, 1861, and started his own school, Hadley’s Normal Academy, Richmond, 1865. Four years later, Hadley became a travelling salesman for the publishers, Scribner, Armstrong and Co., then moved to Chicago to establish a bookselling firm with his brother, Seth S. Hadley. The business came to an end after suffering two fires and Hadley returned to teaching, opening Hadley’s Classical Academy at Indianapolis, 1880. In 1883, he left and later became principal, Friends’ Academy, Bloomingdale, Indiana, 1885. After only two years in this post, Hadley went to Las Cruces, New Mexico, where, after a year in real estate, he founded Las Cruces College, 1888, with himself as president. This was the beginning of a long and productive association with the development of education in New Mexico. Hadley was one of the prime movers in establishing the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts, later New Mexico State University, and when it merged with Las Cruces College in 1889, Hadley was its first president. In 1894, he was appointed vice-president, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, with special responsibility for its education department. Three years later, in 1897, Hadley returned to the college at Las Cruces as professor of History and Philosophy. His last appointment was superintendent of public instruction, New Mexico, 1905, at the age of 72, holding the post until 1907. During these three years, Hadley reorganized the country’s schools, establishing an efficient and coherent system. Member, state board of regents, 1907-13. President, New Mexico Education Association, 1890-1. Hadley attended national peace congresses between 1909 and 1918. Author of Lessons in Language (1871) and English Grammar (1873), with Lee, M.V. Hadley died in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1922, aged 89. See Bowman, A.R., Allen, C.H. and Allen, F., Hiram Hadley (1924).
