Fred Harvey Harrington

Fred Harvey Harrington reenacted by Nathan Brown

Fred Harvey Harrington seated at his desk

Fred Harvey Harrington was the President of the University of Wisconsin from 1962 to 1970. Harrington was born in Watertown, New York, in the summer of 1912. As an adult, Harrington continued his education on the East Coast. Harrington attended Cornell University as an undergraduate and earned his PhD in History from New York University in 1937. From then on, except for a brief time working for the University of Arkansas from 1940 to 1944, Harrington spent the rest of his career in academia at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 1957, Harrington was appointed as the special assistant to Edwin Fred, the President of the University. This promotion prepared him for a career in academic administration. In 1958, Harrington was promoted to the position of vice president for academic affairs under the new president, Conrad Elvehjem. From this time onwards, Harrington played a key role in the development of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). Although he was not directly involved with the construction of the Manfred Olson Planetarium, Harrington was zealous in his efforts to help UWM mature into the institution it is today. The efforts Harrington took to grow UWM included defining what principles should guide the growth of UWM, sharing research funds from Madison with UWM, working towards UWM’s autonomy from Madison, expanding UWM’s graduate programs, and expanding the physical campus of UWM. The protests of the late 1960s became disastrous for Harrington’s position as the President of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Harrington lost support from the Board of Regents because of his lenient stance towards student protests. This led to his resignation in 1970. After his resignation, Harrington worked in India with the Ford Foundation until 1977 when returned to instructing history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Harrington subsequently retired in 1982. 

 

Bibliography

Cronon, E. David. “Fred Harvey Harrington, 1912-1995.” Wisconsin Magazine of History 78, no. 4 (1995): 294–295.

“Fred Harvey Harrington (President, 1962-1970).” University of Wisconsin-Madison. Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, 2023. https://www.library.wisc.edu/archives/exhibits/campus-history-projects/chancellors-and-presidents-of-the-university-of-wisconsin-madison/fred-harvey-harrington-president-1962-1970/.

Fred Harvey Harrington. University of Wisconsin Archives. https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/P46IC4M5BXUSM8B.

“Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin: July 13, 1957.” Edwin Broun Fred (1945-1958): Minutes of the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents. University of Wisconsin Board of Regents Collection. https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AZAOLYFQ6AKUOX87/full/ACDPCE5G7WKCHZ8Q.

Olson, Frederick. “Fred Harrington and the Development of UWM.” Frederick I. Olson Papers. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives Department. UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives.

Thomas, Robert. “Fred Harrington, University Chief, Is Dead at 82.” The New York Times (New York, NY), April 9, 1995.