THOMPSON, Charles Oliver, educator, born in East Windsor Hill, Connecticut, 25 September, 1836; died in Terre Haute, Indiana, 17 March, 1885. He was graduated at Dartmouth in 1858, and then taught in the Peacham academy for six years except during a part of 1860-'1, when he devoted himself to practical work as a surveyor and civil engineer in Piermont, New York In 1864 he became principal of the Cotting public high-school in Arlington, Massachusetts He was chosen principal of the Worcester free institute of industrial science in 1868, and, besides holding the chair of chemistry, was charged with the development of a scientific and practical course of instruction which had no recognized type in this country. After spending eight months in Europe in visiting similar institutions he returned to Worcester and established the course that has since prevailed in that institution. In founding the Rose polytechnic institute, the different technical schools of the country were carefully studied by its founder, Chauncey Rose, and the plan of the Worcester institute was given the preference. Accordingly, in 1883 Mr. Thompson was called to the presidency of the new institute, and continued to hold that place until his death. The degree of Ph.D. was conferred on him in 1870 by Dartmouth, and he was a member of scientific societies, including the American association for the advancement of science and the American institute of mining engineers. He was the author of numerous papers on technical instruction.