born Jan. 17, 1899, Brooklyn, N.Y., U.S.
died May 17, 1977, Santa Barbara, Calif.
U.S. educator and foundation president.
He attended Oberlin College and graduated from Yale University (A.B., 1921) and Yale Law School (LL.B., 1925), becoming dean of Yale Law School in 1927. At the University of Chicago as president (192945) and chancellor (194551), he encouraged liberal education based on the study of the great books of the Western tradition, deplored any tendency toward vocationalism, and dismantled the intercollegiate athletic program. Hutchins later headed various foundations, including the Ford Foundation . He served as chairman of the board of editors of Encyclopædia Britannica (194374) and edited the 54-volume Great Books of the Western World (1952). He expounded his views on education in Higher Learning in America (1936).