Cooper, Oscar H. (Oscar Henry), 1852-1932

Oscar Henry Cooper (1852-1932), son of Dr. William Henry and Katherine Hunter (Rosser) Cooper, was born in Panola County, Texas. He attended Marshall University, 1865-1866, and at the age of fifteen entered Yale University, receiving his BA degree in 1872 and graduating first of his class.

In the summer of 1871 Cooper received his first teaching position at Woods Post Office near Panola. He served as president of Henderson Male and Female College, 1873-1879, and for the following two years taught at Sam Houston Normal Institute (later Sam Houston State Teachers College). Cooper wrote many articles to stimulate interest in a state university and in 1880 was chairman of a committee of the Texas State Teachers Association, which drew up a proposal urging the establishment of such an institution. He was a tutor at Yale in 1881, studied at the University of Berlin, 1884-1885, and then served as principal of Houston High School, 1885-1886. From 1886 to 1890 Cooper was the state superintendent of public instruction.

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