North, Frederick Alonzo, 1890-1906

Frederick Alonzo North was a public school teacher and administrator, traveler and lecturer, and student of NYU from 1894-1906. He taught school for twelve years in a variety of institutions, from country schools to the university level. He then served as principal of Plantsville School, Plantsville, Connecticut until 1892. From 1893-1896 he was the principal of Toms River High School in Toms River, New Jersey. North assumed the position of Superintendent of the Schools of Ocean County, New Jersey, in 1897 and served as such until 1902. He then began to travel quite extensively and to lecture on his travels under the authority of the Board of Education of Greater New York. He died while on an expedition to Peru in 1906 and is buried there.

North remained a student most of his life. He completed a regular college course and in the summers of 1891 and 1892 attended the National Summer School of Methods and Languages at Glen Falls, New York. In 1894 North enrolled in the School of Pedagogy of New York University and began working towards his Masters of Pedagogy degree, which he earned in 1902. He continued at NYU to earn a Bachelor of Science in Pedagogy degree in 1904. In addition, he had secured by examination a first grade State Certificate, completed a law course, completed the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Course, and attended the Clark University Summer School.

Sources: "Representative Ocean County Educators," The Courier . Biographical sketch of F.A. North as principle of Toms River High School, Toms River, N.J., 1896.

Voorhis, Harold O., Letter with biographical sketch accompanying transfer of collection to Archives, January 4, 1961.

From the guide to the Frederick Alonzo North Papers, 1890-1906, (New York University Archives)