Hervin U. Roop Papers

Hervin Ulysses Roop (1869-1955) was the 6th president of Lincoln Memorial University from 1929 – 1931.

He was born in Pennsylvania, graduated from Lebanon Valley College, and earned advance degrees at Yale University and University of Chicago. He then became a minister and public-school educator, searching president of Lebanon Valley College, Eastern College, and York College, before becoming faculty at Wheaton. He wrote 10 textbooks in psychology, ethics, and logic.

His career held controversies prior to his presidency at LMU. He had secured funds from Andrew Carnegie for a new library at Lebanon Valley College only to request more money before the building was built. He also authorized a massive building program costing $200,000, all without Carnegie’s knowledge. Roop resigned in 1906.

He was hired by John Wesley Hill in 1928 as LMU's dean of faculty and head of the Department of Philosophy and Sociology. Roope was religious, conservative, and aligned with old fashion education techniques. He served as president of the American Association of Conservative Colleges, giving speeches as well as publishing texts aligning with his views.

In 1929 he launched new curriculum and faculty adding Business Administration, Engineering, Forestry, Agriculture, Music, Physical Education, and Home Economic. This took a major toll on LMU’s budget.

During LMU’s second attempt of accreditation, faculty members noted Roop and several teachers held additional fictitious degrees. The accreditors immediately dropped the application. This led to Roop blaming others for miscommunicating LMU’s admittance standards. While the Board originally required John Wesly Hill to fire him, he was instead granted a leave of absence due to a “cancerous condition of the lip” (137). This created unrest that led to the 1930 Student Strike. He was replaced in 1930 by J. H. S. Morrison.

Post strike, Roop never held a job in academia. He sent threats and appeals to receive salary payments, but the university could not afford to pay him. (168) Roop was a pastor in Pennsylvania from 1931-1937 then wrote a book on “old fashioned Christian views” of courtship and marriage. He died in 1955.

Information summarized from: Hess, Earl J. Lincoln Memorial University and the shaping of Appalachia. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 2011. Chapter 6.

"Dr. Roop served as a college professor for 10 years at various schools where he also pursued his studies. He graduated from LVC in 1892. He was a college president for 30 years." Including Lincoln Memorial University (1929 - 1931) he also lead Lebanon Valley College and Eastern College.

- Find a Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/25423633/hervin-ulysses-roop [Lebanon Daily News, September 23, 1955, Page 1]