William J. Milne

Who was William J. Milne?

William James Milne was an American educator, academic administrator, and author. He was known for heading two teachers' colleges in New York State, and writing numerous mathematics textbooks.

In 1871, Milne became principal of what had been planned four years before as Wadsworth Normal and Training School, and officially opened it in Geneseo, N.Y. as the Geneseo Normal and Training School. Milne was on the faculty of what is today the State University of New York at Brockport before going to Geneseo.

He held his Ph.D. by October 1874, when he was ordained an elder of the town's Central Presbyterian Church. He also held an LL.D. degree in 1880, when, in March, that church and the First Presbyterian Church of Geneseo Village united to form the Presbyterian Church of Geneseo Village. He and the other elders of the two churches became the 12 elders of the united church, and in September he was elected as one of its 6 trustees, and also became one of three superintendents of its Sunday school. He continued as an elder and trustee at least into 1887. In 1889 Milne was succeeded as head of Geneseo Normal and Training School by his brother John M. Milne.

In 1889 Milne took the presidency of New York State Normal School at Albany, overseeing development of its mission, as reflected in its name changes to New York State Normal College in 1890, and to New York State College for Teachers in 1914. He died later that year.