The History of American Higher Education

An authoritative one-volume history of the origins and development of American higher education

This book tells the compelling saga of American higher education from the founding of Harvard College in 1636 to the outbreak of World War II. The most in-depth and authoritative history of the subject available, The History of American Higher Education traces how colleges and universities were shaped by the shifting influences of culture, the emergence of new career opportunities, and the unrelenting advancement of knowledge.

Roger Geiger, arguably today's leading historian of American higher education, vividly describes how colonial colleges developed a unified yet diverse educational tradition capable of weathering the social upheaval of the Revolution as well as the evangelical fervor of the Second Great Awakening. He shows how the character of college education in different regions diverged significantly in the years leading up to the Civil War—for example, the state universities of the antebellum South were dominated by the sons of planters and their culture—and how higher education was later revolutionized by the land-grant movement, the growth of academic professionalism, and the transformation of campus life by students. By the beginning of the Second World War, the standard American university had taken shape, setting the stage for the postwar education boom.

Breathtaking in scope and rich in narrative detail, The History of American Higher Education is the most comprehensive single-volume history of the origins and development of of higher education in the United States.

"Excellent. . . . Exceeding the limits of any of the excellent institutional case studies published in the last few decades, Geiger's latest volume is the most comprehensive he has produced to date. . . . The book is a welcome addition to the library of historians of education, US historians, or those who study higher education. The work is surprisingly readable, considering the admirably heavily researched nature of the prose within."---Edward Janak, Journal of American Culture

"This encyclopedic book is as readable as it is thorough, drawing upon voluminous monographs and articles. No pedantic study, it places the history of colleges and universities in the context of broader political, economic, and social trends, the author always showing a firm grasp of the general American narrative."---Justus D. Doenecke, Anglican and Episcopal History

"[A] remarkably rich and detailed history. Given Geiger's previous contributions to the field, this is the book that higher education historians have been looking forward to reading."---Charles Dorn, Journal of American History

"To say that Roger L. Geiger has done his homework would be an understatement. . . . Mr. Geiger packs decades of research into one exhaustive tome that tracks the evolution of American higher education from the 17th Century to 1940. . . . Skimming would be rather pointless given the learning opportunity that Mr. Geiger has carefully crafted here, one rich paragraph at a time."---Amy Lyons, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Geiger has written a magisterial, almost encyclopedic history of higher education in the U.S. from its beginnings in the 17th century until 1940. . . . Well-written and filled with copious detail."

"Geiger has successfully written about a major part of the history of higher education in the United States. This book will be of interest to both scholars and general readers interested in the subject."---John Sandstrom, Library Journal

"Geiger's History of American Higher Education is an excellent survey of this complex topic. It is a very valuable addition to the historical literature on American higher education."---Steven Diner, H-Net Reviews

"'At Last!' Etta James does not usually come to mind when you're reviewing a scholarly book. Her 1960 signature song on vintage vinyl, 45 rpm, however, expressed my sentiment when I received Roger L. Geiger's new The History of American Higher Education: Learning and Culture From the Founding to World War II. Many of us in the field have been waiting for this big book. . . . Important."---John R. Thelin, Chronicle Review

"An encyclopedic history of American colleges and universities. . . . A well-researched, detailed tome."

"Winner of the 2015 AERA Division J Outstanding Publication Award, American Educational Research Association"

"The thoroughness, judiciousness, and clarity of this book make it the gold standard on the subject. Encyclopedic in coverage, The History of American Higher Education commands more information, scholarship, and analysis than any other work of its kind. Geiger is the acknowledged leader in the field."—James Axtell, author of The Making of Princeton University: From Woodrow Wilson to the Present

"The History of American Higher Education is an impressive achievement. The prose is consistently clear and accessible, the coverage is comprehensive, and the breadth and depth of knowledge are downright incredible."—Julie A. Reuben, Harvard University