Silas Evans

Fifth president

1910-1917 and 1921-1943

Silas Evans, a graduate of the Ripon College Class of 1898, Princeton University and Princeton Theological Seminary, retired as teacher of Greek and Hebrew at the University of Wisconsin to accept the presidency of his alma mater in 1911. He led Ripon College for the next 32 years — except for a stint as president of Occidental College in California from 1917 to 1921. The College grew to full maturity; preparatory classes were dropped for good in 1913. In spite of the Great Depression, he continued to build the College’s physical capacities by adding Lane Library, Tri-Dorms and Harwood Memorial Union. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters upon his retirement in 1943. Three of his children attended Ripon.

Silas Evans, Class of 1898 and the Ripon College president, teaches a class. Photo taken by Ann Ewing, Class of 1941,