Jonathan Y. Stanton Professor 1863-1906 – “Uncle Johnny,”
Professor of Greek and Latin, Debate Mentor, Ornithologist
Jonathan Young Stanton, known to his Bates students as “Uncle
Johnny” was born in Lebanon, Maine, in 1834. A graduate of
Bowdoin College, Class of 1856, he came to Bates in 1863 as
professor of Greek and Latin, also serving as librarian. He led
debates and taught a popular class in ornithology. His bird
walks were attended by students and townspeople alike. The local
Stanton Bird Club is active to this day, and one of his students
created the Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary. Stanton could flash an
acerbic wit toward his students, suffering no fools, but he
cared deeply for those he taught and mentored. One of his
students said of him, “A more tender, loving heart has seldom
beat in a human breast.” One Bates tradition that continued for
over 100 years was the “Stanton Ride.” Stanton personally paid
to have horses and carriages bring the freshman class on a
picnic, during which he would tell them the h