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Local figure

Edgar Wallace Knight

Edgar Wallace Knight, a historian of American education, joined the University of North Carolina faculty in 1919 and made Chapel Hill his home. He held a Kenan professorship from 1934, sat on the Chapel Hill School Board from 1922 to 1952, and was buried in the Chapel Hill Cemetery after his death in 1953.

Source: NCpedia: Knight, Edgar Wallace (Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, 1988)

1886–1953 · Dates from the Library of Congress · On the Friends’ Local Authors roster → · Library of Congress authority record ↗

2 works about Edgar Wallace Knight are indexed here, as are 5 works by Knight.

Search these 2 works Research sources View indexed works ↓

Life and Orange County connections

Dated events connected with this person, in date order. See these 21 dated events in the chronology →

  1. Edgar Wallace Knight joins the UNC faculty Knight, who had taught education at Trinity College, joined the University of North Carolina faculty in 1919, and Chapel Hill remained his home from then on. Place: Chapel HillSearch the index · NCpedia: Knight, Edgar Wallace
  2. Edgar Wallace Knight becomes assistant superintendent of Orange County schools In April 1919, the year he joined the UNC faculty, Knight was hired as assistant to county superintendent R. H. Claytor; the board agreed to pay him $40 a month, though later biographies describe the post as unpaid. He was still styled assistant superintendent of schools in 1923. People: R. H. Claytor Place: Orange CountySearch the index · UNC Libraries: Edgar Wallace Knight Papers, 1915-1953 · Also: The News (Chapel Hill), October 13, 1921, p. 1
  3. Chapel Hill Methodists build a new parsonage As its share of the building program, the local church hired J. L. Orr of Atlanta as architect in March 1922 and local contractor Brodie Thompson in May, and had the house ready in late October at a cost of $17,358.11. Until the new church was built it also served as a meeting place for boards and student groups. People: Brodie Thompson, Edgar Wallace Knight Place: Chapel Hill · Also named: J. L. OrrSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Methodist Church: A Centennial History, 1853-1953 (1954), scan p. 42
  4. Edgar Wallace Knight serves on the Chapel Hill School Board Knight was a member of the Chapel Hill School Board for thirty years. Place: Chapel HillSearch the index · NCpedia: Knight, Edgar Wallace
  5. The Chapel of the Cross parish house begins Friday picture shows for children The Social Service Department of the Episcopal church in Chapel Hill began showing motion pictures suited to children every Friday evening in the parish house, at 10 cents for children and 20 cents for adults, as an experiment for October through December. Professor Edgar W. Knight wrote to the News in November praising the shows and asking for more support so they could become permanent. People: Edgar Wallace Knight Place: Parish house, Chapel of the Cross, Chapel HillSearch the index · The News (Chapel Hill), November 16, 1922, p. 1
  6. Rural Orange schools open a composition contest on electricity and running water on the farm A contest for rural school children on 'The Benefits of Electricity and Running Water on the Farm' opened on February 12, 1923, with the Raleigh Electric Service Company, a Delco-Light dealer, offering credits toward lighting plants for the winning schools and cash prizes for pupils. Schools in Hillsboro, Carrboro and Chapel Hill, which already had electric lights, were left out; Edgar W. Knight and two University professors were to judge. People: Edgar Wallace Knight, A. C. Howell Place: Rural schools of Orange CountySearch the index · The News (Chapel Hill), February 15, 1923, p. 1
  7. Black Chapel Hill raises money to clear ground for a new Orange County Training School At a meeting called by the Black parent-teacher association in the interest of the Orange County Training School, Black residents took up 'How We Can Build a School' and reported $241 raised among themselves in about a week to start clearing the site for a new building at the end of Church Street. M. C. S. Noble, E. W. Knight, J. S. Holmes and Dr. C. S. Mangum spoke for the white townspeople. People: M. C. S. Noble, Edgar Wallace Knight, John Simcox Holmes, Charles Staples Mangum Place: Orange County Training School, end of Church Street, Chapel HillThe Chapel Hill Weekly, December 13, 1923, p. 4
  8. Cedar Grove opens the consolidated Aycock School Cedar Grove opened its new brick consolidated school, named for Charles B. Aycock, before a crowd from all over the county; 150 children were already enrolled, with more expected as smaller schools were closed. The $30,000 building had central heat and shower baths; County Superintendent R. H. Claytor presided and E. W. Knight of the University gave the address. People: R. H. Claytor, Edgar Wallace Knight, Mack P. Efland Place: Aycock School, Cedar GroveThe Chapel Hill Weekly, February 7, 1924, p. 1
  9. Bingham Township citizens meet at White Cross to advise on a consolidated school site Between 75 and 100 Bingham Township citizens met the county school board at White Cross to argue over the site for a new consolidated school, choosing between 8.5 acres the county owned and a tract at the White Cross road junction offered by Lueco Lloyd; F. J. Eubanks offered four or five more acres to give the county's land frontage on the Chapel Hill-Saxapahaw-Graham highway. Most of those present favored the county's land, and the board, which had about $15,000 from the State school loan fund, said it would decide at its April 7 meeting. People: Mack P. Efland, Lueco Lloyd, Edgar Wallace Knight Place: White Cross school, Bingham Township · Also named: F. J. EubanksThe Chapel Hill Weekly, March 27, 1924, p. 1
  10. Chapel Hill school opens a junior high school unit for the sixth through eighth grades The Chapel Hill school opened its year with 485 pupils and a new junior high school, departmental teaching for the sixth, seventh and lower eighth grades under Miss Harriett Bowen. Home economics, agriculture and music were kept after the teachers gave up their raises and the county commissioners added to the appropriation. People: Edgar Wallace Knight, L. R. Sides Place: Chapel Hill school, West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill · Also named: Harriett BowenSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, September 11, 1925, p. 4
  11. County and town school officials meet all day on a Chapel Hill township school district In mid-May 1926 the county superintendent and county board of education met for most of a day at the Chapel Hill school with Superintendent L. R. Sides and six members of the Chapel Hill board and with Carrboro principal A. C. Hoyle and three Carrboro committeemen, sending envoys to consult State Superintendent A. T. Allen. They sought a township school system with a uniform tax after many country children outside the Chapel Hill district had been dropped from school or charged tuition on March 1, when county money ran out; by July Allen was helping draft a special act for a township election. People: Edgar Wallace Knight, L. R. Sides Place: Chapel Hill school, Chapel Hill · Also named: A. C. Hoyle, A. T. AllenSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, May 21, 1926, p. 1
  12. The county board hires a rural school supervisor at the urging of Edgar W. Knight After Edgar W. Knight explained the value of a rural supervisor, the board authorized one at $2,400 a year plus $600 for travel, provided the state paid half. Mary Hyman held the post by 1929 and was kept on in 1931 over some local opposition, but the board did not rehire her after her 1932 report. People: Edgar Wallace Knight Place: Orange County · Also named: Mary HymanSearch the index · DigitalNC: Irene Oliver Pender, A History of Orange County Schools, 1752-1983 (1983), p. 75 · Also: Chapel Hill Weekly, August 12, 1927, p. 1
Show all 21 dated events
  1. Southern Conference on Education opens with Robert M. Hutchins The third annual Southern Conference on Education, on 'Life and Work in the New South', opened with a dinner at the Carolina Inn, after which the diners moved to Gerrard Hall so the public could hear University of Chicago president Robert M. Hutchins. Sessions ran through Sunday with William E. Dodd, Frank Page and others. People: Edgar Wallace Knight Place: Carolina Inn and Gerrard Hall, Chapel Hill · Also named: Robert M. Hutchins, William E. Dodd, Frank Page · Also mentions: Gerrard HallSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, October 31, 1930, p. 1
  2. The Chapel Hill school board drops six teachers and the school secretary Soon after Superintendent Hoyle resigned, the board, chaired by W. S. Roberson, told six teachers and the secretary they would not be re-elected, after a committee inquiry into the school; no economy was involved, as the next budget kept the same pay scale. The Weekly reported that many parents thought the notices came too late and too suddenly for the teachers to find other places. People: W. S. Roberson, R. E. Coker, Edgar Wallace Knight, Eric A. Abernethy, Milton E. Hogan, Carl T. Durham Place: Chapel Hill schoolSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, May 27, 1932, p. 1
  3. Edgar Wallace Knight is named a Kenan professor The university recognized Knight's teaching and scholarship with a Kenan professorship. On President Graham's recommendation, the executive committee of the trustees named him a Kenan professor on December 20, 1934, together with John F. Dashiell, William M. Dey, Gustave A. Harrer, George Coffin Taylor and Erich W. Zimmermann. Place: Chapel Hill · Also named: George Coffin Taylor, Erich W. ZimmermannSearch the index · NCpedia: Knight, Edgar Wallace · Also: Chapel Hill Weekly, December 21, 1934, p. 1
  4. Edgar W. Knight is named director of the consolidated University's summer session Edgar W. Knight of the education faculty was appointed director of the Summer School of the consolidated University, to run coordinated terms at Chapel Hill, Raleigh and Greensboro beginning in June. On January 7 the administrative board approved his preliminary plan, with one six-week term at Raleigh and Greensboro and two at Chapel Hill. Place: South Building, University of North Carolina, Chapel HillSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, January 4, 1935, p. 6
  5. University and Duke committee issues its first report on cooperation A joint committee of University and Duke faculty, appointed in the autumn of 1933, issued its first report on cooperation between the two universities, released at once in Chapel Hill and Durham with a foreword by President Frank P. Graham and President Few. It urged coordinated graduate work, with students taking some courses for credit at the other school and exchanges of professors, along with shared library resources, research, lectures, concerts and publishing. People: Frank Porter Graham, Howard W. Odum, William Chambers Coker, Edgar Wallace Knight Place: Chapel Hill and DurhamSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, March 22, 1935, p. 6
  6. Edgar W. Knight resigns as director of the Consolidated University's summer schools Edgar W. Knight resigned as director of summer schools for the Consolidated University, effective July 1, after which summer work was to be run through the University's regular administration. Until then Dean R. B. House conducted the Chapel Hill session under Knight's direction. People: R. B. House Place: University of North Carolina, Chapel HillSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, June 11, 1937, p. 1
  7. Educators from British Africa and Southern state agents for Black schools confer at Chapel Hill Government officials, educators and clergy from more than a dozen African territories spent a month of lectures and seminars at the Carolina Inn with the Southern states' agents for Black education and faculty of Yale, Hampton Institute and the University, which jointly sponsored the conference. Lecturers included Howard W. Odum, Edgar W. Knight and Guy B. Johnson; the visitors left on September 28 for tours of the Deep South. People: Howard W. Odum, Edgar Wallace Knight, Guy Benton Johnson Place: Carolina Inn, Chapel HillSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, February 4, 1938, p. 3
  8. The Chapel Hill school trustees condemn the proposed educational amendment The board of trustees of the Chapel Hill schools, chaired by R. E. Coker, adopted a resolution calling the proposed constitutional amendment for a new state board of education "very dangerous" and urging voters to defeat it at the November election, citing its large board appointed by congressional districts and its rule that most members come from business and finance. People: R. E. Coker, Edgar Wallace Knight Place: Chapel Hill · Also mentions: Chapel Hill schoolsSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, September 18, 1942, p. 1
  9. Edgar W. Knight, historian of education, dies in Chapel Hill Dr. Edgar Wallace Knight, Kenan professor of education and an authority on the history of education, died after a heart attack and stroke; he had taught at the University since 1919 after teaching at Trinity College and serving as Wake County school superintendent. He was buried in the Chapel Hill cemetery after graveside services on August 9. Place: Chapel Hill · Also mentions: Chapel Hill cemeterySearch the index · The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), August 13, 1953, p. 10

People named in the same events

People named in the same dated entries as Edgar Wallace Knight, those sharing the most entries first. Each line links one of the shared entries in the chronology, where its source is cited. A shared entry shows these people in the same event, not how well they knew each other.

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Indexed works

Works about or by Edgar Wallace Knight. Each links to the institution that holds or provides it. Background reading appears below.

By Edgar Wallace Knight

Undergraduate work and the University of North Carolina

Knight, Edgar Wallace · 2005 · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Libraries

Edgar Wallace Knight's unpublished 1934 report on undergraduate education in American universities, written at the University of North Carolina. It traces how the American college curriculum moved from the classical European pattern toward more practical studies, and then examines the newer educational experiments of the early 1930s and what they meant for Chapel Hill. The original typescript carries pasted-in material on several pages. Electronic edition issued 2005 by the UNC Chapel Hill Libraries for Documenting the American South.

NC Cardinal UNC

Undergraduate work and the University of North Carolina : a report on recent tendencies and present problems in undergraduate work in some American institutions of higher learning

Knight, Edgar Wallace, 1886-1953 · 1934

Edgar Wallace Knight (1886 to 1953) surveyed recent trends and current problems in undergraduate teaching at American colleges in this 1934 report, with the University of North Carolina at its center. The carbon copy typescript carries passages cut from other sources and pasted onto several leaves. Topics include curriculum change, the aims of higher education, and students at Chapel Hill.

UNC

Heaven's blessings attend her

Knight, Edgar Wallace, 1886-1953 · 1932 · Society for the Advancement of Education

Edgar Wallace Knight wrote this short piece on the University of North Carolina and Chapel Hill, originally printed in School and Society, volume 36, number 929, October 15, 1932. The Society for the Advancement of Education reissued it in New York that year, set in two columns.

UNC

Edgar Wallace Knight papers, 1915-1953

Knight, Edgar Wallace, 1886-1953 · 1915

Papers of Edgar Wallace Knight (1886-1953), 1915 to 1953, in the Southern Historical Collection at UNC, collection 3904. His subjects include teachers in North Carolina, rural education and the folk high schools of Denmark, and the Social Science Research Council. The material also concerns twentieth century intellectual life in Orange County.

UNC

The Graduate School Research And Publications

Knight, Edgar Wallace · 1946 · Univ. of North Carolina Press

Edgar Wallace Knight's 1946 account of research and publications from the Graduate School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Published by the University of North Carolina Press, 461 pages.

Durham Library of Congress

About Edgar Wallace Knight

Collier Cobb Photographic Collection, circa 1890s-1920s

Cobb, Collier, 1862-1934 · 1894

Collier Cobb (1862-1934) taught at the University of North Carolina and made photographs there from the 1890s into the 1920s. Approximately 500 items in seven linear feet, P0013 in the North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives at UNC. Subjects include campus buildings, the Old Well, alumni, employees, and faculty, with portraits including Wilson Caldwell, Harry Woodburn Chase, R. D. W. Connor, and Frederick H. Koch.

Included because: Catalog heading in the UNC record: Knight, Edgar Wallace, 1886-1953.

UNC

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Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Site locations from the N.C. State Historic Preservation Office survey, Open Orange, Orange County GIS, OpenStreetMap and a few other published sources named on each site’s page; town and community pins show approximate locations.

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