Gleason Archer, Sr.

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Gleason Archer, Sr.
Gleason Archer, Sr.
For his son, the theologian, see Gleason Archer, Jr.

Gleason Archer, Sr. (1880–1966) was the founder and first president of Suffolk University and Suffolk Law School.

Gleason Leonard Archer was born in 1880 in Great Pond, Maine. Archer was the third son in a family of seven, and at age thirteen he left school to enter the family woodcutting business. Because of his interest in books, his parents allowed Archer to work for a physician near Lewiston, Maine where he could attend high school in Sabattus, Maine. Eventually Archer borrowed funds to attend Boston University, where he could study law. He worked six days a week as a waiter to pay for his college studies and during the summer he worked at a resort on Cape Cod. While working, he shattered his knee in a fall, and to receive adequate medical care, set out for Boston on crutches. Along the way, George A. Frost, President of the Boston Garter Company picked Archer up, and developed a father-like relationship with Archer and agreed to pay for his medical bills. Frost eventually gave Archer the money to complete his study at Boston University with the stipulation that he pass on the favor to other boys if he had the opportunity.

So upon graduation from law school and passing the bar in 1906, Archer founded Suffolk University Law School. His goal was to build an evening law school (and eventually a university) which would provide an education regardless of class, race or religion. The school started off in Archer's home at night, but eventually in 1907 moved to Archer's law offices. In 1915 Archer wrote a book titled "The Educational Octopus" detailing the various difficulties surmounted in founding the school. (the entire text is available here)

By 1930 Suffolk Law School was one of the largest law schools in the United States. Archer founded The Suffolk College of Arts and Sciences in 1934, and the Sawyer School of Management—then known as the College of Business Administration—in 1937. Archer served as President of Suffolk University and Suffolk Law School until 1948. He was the author of over 30 books about diverse topics ranging from law to history to religion.

Archer married Elizabeth Synder in 1906 and was the father the prominent Protestant theologian and author, Gleason Archer, Jr.

Archer, Sr. died in 1966, aged 86.

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