William Peterson

Scottish classical scholar and the Principal of McGill University (Montreal) from 1895 to 1919. In 1882, he became the first Principal of the recently established University College, Dundee, a position he would hold until 1895. Peterson, despite being aged only 26, won this position ahead of three other candidates including John Edward Aloysious Stegall, who would go on to serve as Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at University College, Dundee. Stegall seems to have resented this for he failed to mention Peterson in the lengthy account of the College's early years which he produced fifty years later. Peterson, while enjoying academic argument, disliked the politics of academia, particularly the issues arrising from the complex relationship between University College and the University of St Andrews. In 1895 he took up the position of Principal at McGill. Despite being in Canada for almost 25 years he considered himself an exile and always returned to the UK for his summer vacation. He retired in 1919 after suffering a stroke, and returned to the UK. Link to Wikipedia