William Torrey Harris

William Torrey Harris (September 10, 1835 – November 5, 1909) was an American educator, philosopher, and lexicographer. He spent nearly a quarter century in St. Louis, Missouri, where he taught and served as Superintendent of Schools for twelve years. In 1873, with Susan Blow, he established the first permanent, public kindergarten in the country. He is also recognized for establishing high school as an integral part of public education. Deeply interested in Hegelian philosophy, he co-founded the *Journal of Speculative Philosophy* (1867), the first philosophical journal in the US, and collaborated with Amos Bronson Alcott's Concord School of Philosophy. In 1889, Harris was appointed as United States Commissioner of Education, a role he held under four presidents until 1906. During his tenure, he advocated for organizing education based on idealist philosophies and supported the cultural assimilation of Native Americans.