Frank Palmer Speare

Who was Frank Palmer Speare?

Frank Palmer Speare was the first president of Northeastern University, serving from 1898-1940. He began the evening program at the Boston YMCA that later became Northeastern. As founding president, he oversaw the launching of the university's evening law school, the now-defunct automobile school, the evening polytechnic schools, the school of commerce and finance, and the co-operative engineering school.

A man of diverse talents and interests, he was, in addition to being an educator, a sailor, farmer, and music enthusiast. He composed songs and other music, plays, and musicals.