My Genealogy Hound

PROF. EDGAR ALFRED EMENS, of the chair of Greek language and literature in Syracuse University, was born on a farm in the town of Varick, Seneca County, April 23, 1862. His educational advantages were exceptionally good. After having completed the studies of the district school, at the age of seventeen he entered the Cazenovia Seminary, where he took a course of three years, graduating in 1882. He then entered Wesleyan University, at Middletown, Conn., the institution of which the illustrious geologist, Professor Winchell, was also a graduate. Upon completing a four-years course he was graduated, in 1886, with the degree of A. B. Three years later his Alma Mater conferred upon him the degree of A. M. He was graduated with honor, but received special honor in Latin. He was elected a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, an honor conferred upon a few of the best scholars of each class.

His education completed, Professor Emens returned to his home in New York. Soon afterward he began his career as a teacher, in which he has since met with unvarying success. For one year he taught in the public school at Eaton, Madison County, N. Y., and from there he went to the Canandaigua Academy, where he held the chair of Latin and Greek for two years. From Canandaigua he was called to the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary at Lima, N. Y., where he was Professor of Greek and Latin for two years. Lima was the original seat of what is now Syracuse University. After two years in the seminary, he became Adjunct Professor of Greek in Syracuse University and one year later he was promoted to a full professorship, succeeding Dr. Coddington, of the chair of ethics. He has completed three years as professor in this institution, in which he gives a thorough course in Greek to students of the upper classes. An assistant has charge of the Freshmen.

In the summer of 1892, Professor Emens visited Europe, traveling in England, Scotland, France, Italy and Greece and giving especial attention to the language which he teaches in the uuiversity. In 1894 he taught the Greek and Latin classes in the summer school at Silver Lake, his work giving entire satisfaction to all interested parties. He has contributed papers on special subjects to various educational journals, and these have been received with favor by scholars in all parts of the country. His reputation as a Greek scholar is well known throughout the entire country, and at the time of accepting the professorship in the Syracuse University, he had special calls to various western high-grade institutions. That his choice is a wise one has been attested by the high esteem in which he is held by the faculty and students of the university, as well as by educational men throughout the East. In physique he is tall, and he is interested in athletics and all college sports. Though one of the youngest professors in the university, he is conceded to be one of the most popular members of the faculty. In politics he is a Republican.

Professor Emens has recently been elected a member of the Hellenic Society, London; the Philhellenique Society, Amsterdam, and of the American Philological Association.