1893-1934
Joseph Henry Apple, at 28, was one of the youngest men in the nation to be appointed to a college presidency. He organized, developed and led Hood College for an unprecedented 41 years. Upon his retirement, he was the oldest college president in continuous active service at a single institution in the United States.
An educator and high school teacher, from Pittsburgh, Dr. Apple earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees at Franklin and Marshall College. He was also an ordained minister in the Reformed Church.
Dr. Apple dedicated his life to establishing the campus at its current location and setting the high standards for academic excellence that continue to this day. He wrote in his will, “I do not have a large financial legacy to give you, but I give you a college.”
