Past Presidents

NCA has been led by disciplinary teachers and scholars whose vision and dedication shaped the mission, as well as the spirit, of the organization.

Prior to 1956, presidents were selected at the association’s Annual Convention, with the membership ratifying the selection of candidates put forth by a nominating committee. A constitutional revision enacted in 1954 that became effective in 1956 provided for the election of officers of the association by ballot rather than at the annual meeting.

  • 1915 James M. O’Neill,* University of Wisconsin
  • 1916 James A. Winans,* Cornell University
  • 1917 James L. Lardner,* Northwestern University
  • 1918 Howard S. Woodward,* Western Reserve University
  • 1919 Howard S. Woodward,* Western Reserve University
  • 1920 Charles H. Woolbert,* University of Illinois
  • 1921 Alexander M. Drummond,* Cornell University
  • 1922 Glenn N. Merry,* University of Iowa
  • 1923 Harry B. Gough,* Depauw University
  • 1924 Wilber Jones Kay,* West Virginia University
  • 1925 Ray K. Immel,* University of Southern California
  • 1926 Edward C. Mabie,* University of Iowa
  • 1927 Andrew T. Weaver,* University of Wisconsin (Presidential Address
  • 1928 John P. Ryan,* Grinnell College
  • 1929 Frank M. Rarig,* University of Minnesota
  • 1930 John Dolman, Jr.,* University of Pennsylvania
  • 1931 Clarence T. Simon,* Northwestern University
  • 1932 Henrietta Prentiss,* Hunter College
  • 1933 Lee Emerson Bassett,* Leland Stanford University
  • 1934 Henry L. Ewbank,* University of Wisconsin
  • 1935 Arleigh B. Williamson,* New York University
  • 1936 Maud May Babcock,* University of Utah
  • 1937 Herbert A. Wichelns,* Cornell University
  • 1938 J.T. Marshman,* Ohio Wesleyan University
  • 1939 A. Craig Baird,* University of Iowa
  • 1940 Alan H. Monroe,* Purdue University (Presidential Address
  • 1941 W. Hayes Yeager,* George Washington University
  • 1941 Honorary President Thomas C. Trueblood,* University of Michigan
  • 1942 Claude M. Wise,* Louisiana State University
  • 1943 Robert West,* University of Wisconsin (Presidential Address
  • 1944 Bower Aly,* University of Missouri
  • 1945 Joseph F. Smith,* University of Utah
  • 1946 W. Norwood Brigance,* Wabash College
  • 1947 Magdalene Kramer,* Columbia University (Presidential Address)
  • 1948 Rupert Cortright,* Wayne State University (Presidential Address)
  • 1949 James H. McBurney,* Northwestern University (Presidential Address)   
  • 1950 Horace G. Rahskopf,* University of Washington (Presidential Address)
  • 1951 Wilber Gilman,* Queens College (Presidential Address)
  • 1952 Lionel Crocker,* Denison University (Presidential Address)
  • 1953 Henry P. Constans,* University of Florida
  • 1954 Karl R. Wallace,* University of Illinois
  • 1955 Thomas A. Rousse,* University of Texas
  • 1956 Lester Thonssen,* College of the City of New York
  • 1957 Loren Reid,* University of Missouri
  • 1958 Elise Hahn,* University of California
  • 1959 John E. Dietrich,* Ohio State University
  • 1960 Kenneth G. Hance,* Michigan State University
  • 1961 Ralph G. Nichols,* University of Minnesota
  • 1962 Waldo W. Braden,* Louisiana State University
  • 1963 Ernest J. Wrage,* Northwestern University
  • 1964 Robert T. Oliver*, Penn State University
  • 1965 J. Jeffery Auer,* Indiana University
  • 1966 John W. Black,* Ohio State University
  • 1967 Wayne C. Minnick,* Florida State University
  • 1968 Douglas Ehninger,* University of Iowa (Presidential Address
  • 1969 Marie Hochmuth Nichols,* University of Illinois (Presidential Address

*Deceased
**But for his untimely death, Donald Ecroyd, Temple University, would have succeeded to the presidency in 1986.