Bio of COFFMAN, Lotus D. (b.1875), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical
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LOTUS DELTA COFFMAN - Vol III, pg 719
Lotus D. Coffman, whose scholarly attainments have placed him with the foremost
educators of the country, is president of the University of Minnesota and has
also become widely known as an author of ability. He was born in Salem, Indiana,
January 7, 1875, and his parents were Mansford E. and Laura E. Coffman. After
completing his public school training he became a student at the Indiana State
Normal School at Terre Haute, from which he was graduated in 1896, and he then
entered the State University of Indiana, from which he won the B. A. degree in
1906 and the M. A. degree in 1910, while in the following year Columbia
University conferred upon him the degree of Ph. D. In 1896 he entered upon
educational work, serving as superintendent and principal of schools in Indiana
from 1896 until 1907, and then became supervisor of the training school at
Charleston, Illinois, filling that position 1907-1909. He then devoted the year
1909-10 to further study at Columbia University and during 1910 and 1911 was
lecturer at Columbia University. The next year, 1911-12, was spent as supervisor
of the Training School at Charleston, Illinois, with which he had formerly been
connected, and from 1912 until 1915 he was dean of the College of Education at
the University of Illinois, and in the latter year he was called to the office
of dean of the College of Education of the University of Minnesota, so serving
until 1919, when he was made president of the University. Indiana University and
Carleton College each conferred the degree of LL. D. upon him in 1922. In
addition to his educational interests he is a director of the East Hennepin
State Bank and the Marquette Trust Company of Minneapolis.
Mr. Coffman has rendered valuable service to the government, acting as advisor
to the surgeon general in the division of physical reconstruction of the United
States army in outlining, planning and introducing educational work for disabled
veterans of the World war in the general hospitals. He is a member of the
Minnesota Education Association and is chairman of the executive committee of
the National Education Association, of which he was president in 1917 and 1918.
He was also president of the National Association of Urban Universities and a
member of the National Association of State Universities and the American
Council on Education. He is likewise identified with Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi
and Phi Gamma Delta, college fraternities.
Dr. Coffman's writings have also made him well known in educational circles of
the country and he is the author of the following publications: "The Social
Composition of the Teaching Population," 1911; "How to Teach Arithmetic," 1913;
and "The Supervision of Arithmetic," 1915. He is also co-author of "Reading in
Public Schools," 1908; co-editor of the Journal of Educational Administration
and Supervision, School and Home Education and School Education; and editor of
an educational series for D. C. Heath & Company.
At Paoli, Indiana, on the 28th of December, 1898, Dr. Coffman was married to
Miss Mary Farrell, a daughter of William S. Farrell, who was circuit court
judge, and they have two children: Catherine Farrell Coffman and William
Mansford Coffman. Dr. Coffman is a Baptist in religious faith and his political
support is given to the republican party. He has attained high standing in his
profession and has made notable contribution to the world's work.