Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • Mark Hopkins: An American educator and theologian who lived from 1802 to 1887. He is historically recognized for his significant contributions to higher education and religious thought in the 19th century United States.

Usage

• Proper noun:
  • Mark Hopkins served as the president of Williams College for over three decades.
  • The educational philosophy of Mark Hopkins emphasized a close student-teacher relationship.

Advanced Usage

• The name "Mark Hopkins" is often cited in historical discussions about American education and liberal arts traditions.
  • The famous analogy of the ideal college being "Mark Hopkins on one end of a log and a student on the other" highlights his pedagogical legacy.

Variants and Related Words

• Hopkinsian: (adjective) Pertaining to the theological views associated with Mark Hopkins or his uncle, Samuel Hopkins.
  • Hopkinsian theology was influential in certain Protestant circles.

Synonyms

• Educator: A person who provides instruction or education.
• Theologian: A person who engages in the study of the nature of God and religious belief.

Related Phrases

• "Mark Hopkins and the log": An idiomatic reference to the aforementioned educational ideal emphasizing personal instruction.
  • The speaker invoked the image of Mark Hopkins and the log to argue for small class sizes.

Noun

1. United States educator and theologian (1802-1887)