Biography:

College president; professor; administrator. Born– December 30, 1881, Bellevue, Alabama.  Parents– James M. and Mary Henley (Spencer) Jack. Married– Alice Searcy Ashley, November 9, 1910. Children– Two. Education– University of Alabama, A.B., 1902, A.M., 1903; Harvard University, A.M., 1908; University of Chicago, Ph.D., 1915. Taught at Sewanee Grammar School at the University of the South, 1903-06;  Tulane University, Harvard University, University of Chicago; alumni professor at Southern University, 1906-1916; Emory University, 1916-1933, where he served as dean of the Graduate School, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, and vice president of the university; president, Randolph Macon Women’s College, 1933-1952.  Member of Southern Historical Association, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (president, 1926-27), and other professional organizations; a member of the National Council of Phi Beta Kappa and the National Commission  on Accrediting, which was established in 1949 by five educational organizations. Awarded honorary doctoral degrees by several institutions, including Birmingham-Southern College, the University of Alabama, the University of Chicago, Emory University, Tulane University, Wofford College, George Washington University, and Lynchburg College.  Awarded status of president emeritus on his retirement from Randolph-Macon in 1952.  Randolph-Macon’s annual literary magazine is named “The Jack” in honor of Dr. Jack’s support for the writing program at the college. The Theodore H. Jack chair in the history department was established in his honor. Died September 20, 1964.

Source:

Cornelius, Roberta D.  The History of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, from The Founding in 1891 through the Year of 1949-1950.  Chapel Hill; UNC Press, 1951.

Hurt, Melissa Dearing Jack.  Alabama Bound: Family Sketches of a Long Line of Storytellers.  Copple House Books, 1988.

Who Was Who in America, Vol. 4.

Publication(s):

Sectionalism and Party Politics in Alabama (1816-1842). Menasha, Wis.; George Banta Pub. Co., 1919.

Joint_Publication(s):

(with Smith Burnham). America Our Country. Chicago; John C. Winston Co., 1934.

(with Smith Burnham). The Story of America for Young Americans. Philadelphia; John C. Winston Co., 1932-.

Papers;

A collection of papers of Theodore Henley Jack’s service at Emory University (1911-1933) is held by the special collections library at Emory University.