Francis March

Biography

Francis March pioneered the academic study of the English language when Lafayette College appointed him the first professor charged with teaching it, a moment that inaugurated English as a subject worthy of serious scholarship in American higher education. The philologist's lectures drew students into explorations of etymology, classical roots, and the living traditions of speech.

He later produced lexicons and guided successive generations of scholars, keeping the craft of dictionary-making responsive to changing usage while encouraging a love of words. Easton remembers him through Easton Cemetery, where fellow citizens honor the teacher whose passion for language shaped countless lives.