Daniel Coit Gilman (1831-1908) was an American educator who as the first president of Johns Hopkins University contributed greatly to establishing true university education in the United States. He was born at Norwich, Conn., was graduated from Yale University in 1852, and subsequently studied and traveled in Europe. From 1855 to 1872 Dr. Gilman was connected with Yale as librarian, professor of physical and political geography and director of the Sheffield Scientific School. He was president of the University of California from 1872 to 1875. In the latter year he was elected to the presidency of Johns Hopkins University, where he served until 1901. Dr. Gilman served as president of the American Oriental So-ciety from 1983 until 1901, and in 1907 was appointed trustee of The Russell Sage Foundation for Social Betterment. He was appointed by President Cleveland to the commission to determine the boundary line between Venezuela and British Guinea. Dr. Gilman was an ardent worker for the cause of better education facilities for the South. He is the author of Launching a University, The Life of James D. Dana, The Life of James Monroe and Science and Letters in Yale. Dr. Gilman was one of the three general editors of the first edition of the New International Encyclopedia.
