April 16, 1857
Henry Smith Pritchett is born on a farm in Fayette. His father was a brilliant professor and college president, Carr Walter Pritchett, who was director of the Morrison Observatory. Henry was educated at Pritchett College (named after his family) in Glasgow, Missouri, then later at the US Naval Observatory as an astronomer. He was also president of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was the first president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
Based upon content from the book Missouri 365: This Day in Missouri History by John W. Brown, broadcaster and Missouri historian. Get your copy at Reedy Press.
Photo—State Historical Society of Missouri
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April 16, 1857
Birthday of Henry Smith Pritchett, astronomer, who was born at Fayette, MO and attended Pritchett College in Glasgow, MO. After additional training at the U.S. Naval Observatory he went to work at Washington University in St. Louis. He was named Superintendent of the U.S. Coast Guard Geodetic Survey and was president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Peace.