Richard Cecil Hughes

Fourth president

1901-1909

He was a Presbyterian clergyman and teacher of psychology and was instrumental in designing and implementing a college curriculum at Ripon for the 20th century. Preparatory classes were greatly reduced and the educational program expanded to include most subjects comprising a modern liberal arts curriculum. The college expanded with the installation of the heating plant and rebuilding of Middle College. In 1906, Hughes obtained a $20,000 matching gift from Andrew Carnegie which resulted in a total gain to the College of $40,000.