North American Scholar

GREY, William Richard

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  • Date of Birth (YYYY-MM-DD): 1858-11-21
  • Born City: Union County
  • Born State/Country: NC
  • Parents: Hugh Alexander, a teacher, & Jane MacCullough Parks G.
  • Date of Death (YYYY-MM-DD): 1944-05-09
  • Death City: Davidson
  • Death State/Country: NC
  • Married: Nannie Morton, 5 Sept. 1895.
  • Education:

    A.B. Davidson, 1884; Ph.D. Johns Hopkins, 1893.
  • Professional Experience:

    Princ. Davidson Acad., 1885-6; Mooresville (NC) Acad., 1887-8; HS in Atlanta, 1888-9; prof. Lat. Davidson, 1893-1933; vice pres., 1915-25.
  • Dissertation:

    “The Treatment of Philosophy and Philosophers by the Greek Comic Poets” (Johns Hopkins, 1893); printed (Baltimore, 1896).
  • Notes:

    Grey was in the second of four generations of his family to go to Davidson, and he devoted 40 years' service to his alma mater. After serving as principal of three different preparatory schools, he wrote his dissertation under Gildersleeve and returned to a Davidson of 125 students and six faculty. Affectionately remembered by students as “Wooly,” he published almost nothing but taught French, German, Italian, and Spanish in addition to Greek and Latin. He traveled widely, was an active elder in his church, and devoted himself to farming. His wife was beloved by students and other faculty and they maintained a large home near the campus.
  • Sources:

    Charlotte Observer (10 May 1944); Davidson College archives; NatCAB 35:401.
  • Author: Ward W. Briggs, Jr.