Historian Dr. James P. Cousins, associate dean for the College of Arts and Sciences at Western Michigan University, recently published his first book. “Horace Holley: Transylvania University and the Making of Liberal Education in the Early American Republic,” examines the growth and transformation of higher education in the early 19th century.
Cousins, who was a 2012 scholar-in-residence at Transylvania, said the project was an outgrowth of his interests in the history of American intellectualism. “The confluence of education, populism, credit economies and nationalism makes this period particularly interesting. America was coming of age and Americans adjusted by developing intellectual identities that were both familiar and original,” Cousins said. “The book uses an important education figure, Horace Holley, as a way to illuminate these developments.”
In support of the release, Cousins was on the Transylvania University campus for a presentation and book signing on Dec. 7, 2016 and was featured on the air with WUKY-FM radio Thursday, Dec. 8. He offered an additional book signing at the Morris Book Shop (882 E. High St., Lexington, Ky.) on Friday, Dec. 9.
James was also interviewed on WMUK.
Horace Holley: Transylvania University and the Making of Liberal Education in the Early American Republic focuses on the life of one of the early Republic’s leading educators. As president of Transylvania University, Holley ushered in a period of sustained educational and cultural growth at Transylvania, which received national attention for its scientifically progressive and liberal curriculum. Cousins’ biography draws on a wealth of historical documents and letters to analyze the profound influence of westward expansion on social progress during Holley’s tenure as president of Transylvania from 1818 to 1827.
Congratulations to Dr. Cousins on this important publication.