Cyrus Nutt

Cyrus Nutt (4 September 1814 Trumbull County, Ohio - 23 August 1875 Bloomington, Indiana) served as the fifth president of Indiana University.

Biography

Cyrus Nutt graduated from Allegheny College (B.A. 1836).

Nutt was professor of languages at Asbury (now DePauw) University (1837-1845), pastor of Methodist Episcopal church in Bloomington (1845), professor of Greek at Asbury University (1846-1849), president of Fort Wayne Female College (1849-1850), president of Whitewater College (1850-1855), professor of mathematics and acting president at Asbury University (1857-1860).

In 1860, Nutt was elected president of Indiana University. During his presidency, the University attempted to create an agricultural and mechanical school under the terms of the Morrill Act, though by 1869 Purdue was established as the land grant college of Indiana. In 1867, the Board of Trustees voted to admit women to classes, and around the same time the university experienced the beginning of organized athletics with students embracing the game of baseball. The junior and senior-class-controlled newspaper The Student also was founded that year.

The final years of Nutt’s presidency saw growing tensions with students, though the reasons are unknown. Students published a bogus newspaper in March 1873 titled The Dagger in which they attacked Nutt. In 1875 the Board of Trustees dismissed Nutt, likely over internal problems with the board and the students. Nutt died on August 24, 1875, approximately one month after his dismissal.

Works

Several of Nutt's baccalaureate sermons were published.