Morris Hicky Morgan

Professor Morgan was born in Providence, RI, on February 8, 1859. He prepared for college at St. Mark's School, Southborough. After graduation he was a tutor in Latin and Greek at St. Mark's School for two years, and was head tutor of the school in 1883-84. For the next three years he studied classical philology at Harvard, receiving the degrees of A.M. and Ph.D. in 1887. From the autumn of 1887 until his death he served continuously as a teacher at Harvard under various titles. He was first instructor in Greek, then tutor, and later assistant professor of Latin and Greek. In 1896 he became assistant professor of Latin, and three years later, on the death of Professor F. D. Allen, professor of classical philology. In 1904 he lectured on Greek literary criticism at the Summer School of the University of California.

Professor Morgan was always active in committee work. For eight years he was chairman of the Department of Classics, and also served as chairman of the committee which drew up the scheme for academic costume, adopted by the Corporation and Overseers in 1902, and for a number of years he had charge of the admission examinations. In 1904 he gave much time to the committee, of which he was chairman, appointed to draw up plans for the degree of A.B. with distinction. His work as University Marshal will long be remembered. He gave much attention to the details of all University ceremonies, and to him is largely due the smoothness with which the Commencement exercises proceed. He was indefatigable in his work at the time of the inauguration of President Lowell, and only those who saw him from day to day knew how much the University and the alumni owed to him on that occasion.

He published a large number of papers on classical subjects, and had finished a bibliography of Persius, founded to a large extent on his own extensive collection of that author, shortly before his final illness. All his books on this subject, nearly 700 in number, Professor Morgan gave to the College Library. With Professor Morris of Yale, he edited Morris and Morgan's Latin Series. He received the degree of L. L. D. from Hobart College in 1896, and was elected honorary membership of the Phi Beta Kappa the year before. He was a trustee of St. Mark's School, an institution in which he took much interest, and was a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
(adapted from The Harvard Bulletin - March 23, 1910)