Guy Potter Benton

The Reverend Dr. Guy Potter Wharton Benton (May 26, 1865 — June 29, 1927) was an American educator who served as president of Miami University from 1902-1911, the University of Vermont from 1911-1920, and the University of the Philippines from 1921-1925. He is credited with being instrumental in the founding of the sorority Delta Zeta at Miami University in 1902.

He was born to Daniel Webster and Harriet (Wharton) Benton in Kenton, Ohio. After serving as superintendent of schools at Fort Scott, Kansas (1890-95), he became assistant state superintendent of public instruction in Kansas (1895-96). He was professor of history and sociology at Baker University (1896-99) and assumed the presidency of Upper Iowa University in 1899, serving until 1902 when he became president of Miami University. He left Miami to become president of the University of Vermont 1911-1919. He was educational director of the Third Army occupying Germany following WWI. He served as the third president of the University of the Philippines from 1921-1925.

He was an ordained Methodist minister.

Benton was a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity, of which he was national president 1912-14. For his help in the founding of Delta Zeta, he was named Grand Patron and is the only man ever permitted to wear the Delta Zeta member badge. He was a member of the forensics honorary Tau Kappa Alpha and served as its national president 1915-17.

In 1889 he married Dolla Konantz of Arcadia, Kansas and they had two children, Helen Geneva and Pauline Corinth.

He is buried in the Miami University plot of the Oxford Cemetery and his headstone indicates that he was "President of Miami University" and "National President of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity." Two buildings on the Miami University campus have bee named for him. First was the administration building and auditorium now known as Hall Auditorium and the current Benton Hall is a psychology building.

External links

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*findagrave|27703233

ources

*Encyclopedia Vermont Biography: A Series of Authentic Biographical Sketches of the Representative Men of Vermont and Sons of Vermont in Other States. Dodge. Burlington: Ullery, 1912, p 118-119