Erastus H. Staley

Valparaiso University President, 1862-64

The Rev. Erastus Herman Staley was selected to succeed Charles Sims as the second president of Valparaiso Male and Female College. Staley was a graduate of Indiana Asbury University (later DePauw University).

Faced with a loss of students because of the Civil War, Staley expanded the College’s board of trustees from five to 18 members in hopes of increasing support for the school. He also modified the curriculum to allow students to bypass some of the classics requirements in order to take science-related courses. Staley left after less than a year to become president at Indiana Northern College in South Bend.