Robert Pelton Sibley

Robert Pelton Sibley (March 26, 1879 - November 3, 1957) was an American academic and a headmaster of Deerfield Academy.[1]

Born in Westfield, Massachusetts, Sibley graduated from Amherst College in 1900. At commencement, he was awarded the Henry D. Hyde prize in oratory, a victory reported in The New York Times.[2]

From 1900 to 1902, he was the fiftieth head of school, or principal as the position was then known, of Deerfield Academy. He was succeeded by Frank Boyden.

In 1903, he graduated from Columbia University with a Master of Arts degree.[3]

In 1907, he took up a post as an instructor in English at Ohio Wesleyan University.

From 1909 to 1920, he was professor of English language and literature at Lake Forest College, where he also served as registrar.[4][5] In his final year there, the University awarded him an honorary doctorate in humane letters.

From 1920, he was a faculty member and secretary of Cornell University's College of Agriculture.[6] Six years later he was transferred to the College of Arts and Sciences. There he would serve as assistant dean, secretary of the university faculty, and chairman of the faculty committee on student affairs.

In 1934, he became the second husband of Cora Billard Wickham, the widow of James Wickham.[7][8]

Sibley died at age 78 at his home in New Suffolk, New York. His death was noted by an obituary in The New York Times, which remarked that he had "become known as a specialist in American fiction."[9]

References
  1. Downs, Winfield Scott, ed. (1947), Who's who in New York (city and State), pg 957.
  2. "Amherst's Commencement" (PDF), The New York Times, p. 9, June 26, 1900
  3. Columbia University (1906), Catalogue of Officers and Graduates of Columbia University from the Foundation of King's College in 1754, New York: Columbia University, pg 570.
  4. America, Modern Language Association of (1917), "Members of the Modern Language Association of America", Publications of the Modern Language Association of America, Cambridge, Mass., XXXII: clxii, retrieved October 8, 2008
  5. Patterson, Henry L. (1914), "Universities and Colleges", Patterson's College and School Directory of the United States and Canada, Educational Directories, 11: 457, retrieved October 8, 2008
  6. Agriculture, New York State College of; Agricultural Experiment Station, Cornell University (1920), "Report of the Dean and Director", Report of the New York State College of Agriculture at Cornell University, Ithaca, and of the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station, Albany, N.Y., 33, retrieved October 8, 2008
  7. Frost, Josephine C. (1935), Ancestors of James Wickham and His Wife Cora Prudence Billard, pg. 20.
  8. Wallace Gallery (2000–2008), "Cora Billiard Wickham Sibley", ASKArt, AskART, retrieved October 8, 2008
  9. "Prof. Robert Sibley, Taught at Cornell", The New York Times, p. 29, November 4, 1957
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