Samuel Capen (1878–1956) was Chancellor of the University of Buffalo from 1922 until 1950. Capen attempted to make higher education accessible to a greater number of people, stressing ability over social standing, and highlighting the importance of arts subjects as well as traditional schools such as Law and Medicine. Capen’s efforts to improve the standard of education and increase enrolment numbers were rewarded; the number of students at the university rose from 1687 in 1922 to over 10,000 by the time of his retirement in 1950.
“It is, therefore, in the power of the poet, painter or musician to remold mankind by combining and arranging color, sound and form; because the emotions thus created, though seemingly feeble and useless, are actually more powerful, of greater importance in the life of mankind, than armies and governments and the ‘speculations of reason’.” (Samuel Capen)