COBURN, Charles Rittenhouse, educator, born in Bradford county, Pennsylvania, 5 June, 1809; died in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 9 March, 1869. He was almost wholly self-taught, and, having acquired sufficient knowledge to instruct, he was engaged in 1827, at a salary of eight dollars a month, to take charge of a small school in Owego, New York In 1837 he became assistant in the Owego academy, and remained there for ten years, with occasional interruptions from ill health and a brief attendance at the State normal school. In 1848-'50 he was president of the New York teachers' association, and in 1852-'3 one of the editors of the " New York Teacher." He has lectured frequently on educational topics. In 1853 he received the honorary degree of A. M. from Madison university. In 1854 he took charge of the normal and mathematical department of Susquehanna collegiate institute, Bradford county, Pennsylvania, and from 1857 till 1863 superintendent of schools for the same county. He was state superintendent of schools for Pennsylvania from 1863 till 1866, and previously was president of the State teachers' association for one year. In 1866 he was elected superintendent of schools at Harrisburg, an office which he held at the time of his death.