The University of Delaware: A History

Front cover of The University of Delaware: A History

The University of Delaware: A History was written by John A. Munroe. A native of Wilmington, Dr. Munroe earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UD in 1936 and 1941, respectively, and he received his doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania in 1947.

After teaching at Newark High School, he joined the UD faculty in 1942 as an instructor in history. He was named an assistant professor in 1947, an associate professor in 1949 and professor in 1952. In 1962, he was named H. Rodney Sharp Professor of History. As the primary instructor for the formerly required Delaware history course, Dr. Munroe taught a majority of the University’s students for many years. He also served as assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 1949-51 and as chairperson of the Department of History from 1952-69. He retired in 1982 and was named H. Rodney Sharp Professor Emeritus of History.

He was the author of more than 70 articles and several books, including The University of Delaware: A History (1986) and many others. He was the coauthor, with Carol E. Hoffecker, of Books, Bricks and Bibliophiles: The University of Delaware Library (1984). Dr. Munroe was a regular contributor of articles about Delaware’s history and government to encyclopedias and annuals, and from 1959-65, he had a regular column in the Wilmington Morning News.