Gorrie, William F. (1842-1903)

Dates

• Existence: 1842 - 1903

Biography

William F. Gorrie was born in Salem, New York, on May 25, 1842. He attended the village school until he was twelve-years-old. He was fitted for college under the tutorship of David Bullion, his uncle, and entered Williams College in 1860. He received his A.B. in 1864 and then accepted the principalship of Salem Academy. In 1868, he went to Minneapolis to assume the principalship of the east side schools. Two years later, he became principal of Afton Academy in Afton, Minnesota, and three years later accepted the principalship of the Stillwater schools, remaining there for ten years. Gorrie's A.M. degree was conferred by Williams College in 1876. He then went to Mankato as superintendent and remained there for four years.

Gorrie would go to Watertown in the Dakota Territory to organize the graded schools. He ended up in Madison, where he would become President of the Dakota Normal School for two years. He would stop teaching afterwards, but remained active in educational circles in Minnesota. Gorrie was connected with the extension service at the University of Minnesota, was President of the Minnesota State Teachers Association for one year, and read many papers before the Association at various times. He also had the honor of being appointed as the inspector of Normal Schools by the Governor of Minnesota. Gorrie died October 25, 1903, at his home in Minneapolis.

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