Benjamin Leonard D'Ooge was a professor of classical languages at Michigan State Normal College, now Eastern Michigan University, for more than 50 years. During his time at Eastern, he earned a national reputation as a leading figure in classical education. In fact, it did not matter in what part of the country a student began their study of the classical languages; they were most likely introduced to it through one of D'Ooge's books.

D'Ooge was born in Grand Rapids on Jan. 10, 1860. He graduated from the literary department of the University of Michigan in 1881. From 1881 to 1883, D'Ooge was the principal at the high school in Coldwater. In 1884, D'Ooge received his master's of arts degree from U-M. For the next two years he was an instructor of Latin at U-M. He married Jennie Pease of Ann Arbor in 1885.

D'Ooge moved to the Normal School at Ypsilanti in 1886, to chair the classical languages department. "Ambitious to excel, we shall look for large and enthusiastic classes in the foundation languages and ancient literature,'' noted The Ypsilanti Commercial after D'Ooge's appointment.

From 1899-1901, D'Ooge studied in Europe and received a doctorate from the University of Bonn.

D'Ooge found contentment in his private library of more than 800 books, including many rare editions, at his home on Forest Avenue. He perhaps added to his own library with the many books he wrote or co-authored including "Viri Rome,'' 1895, "Easy Latin for Sight Reading,'' 1897; "Caesar's Gallic War,'' 1898; "Second Year Latin,'' 1899, and many more. D'Ooge also made many contributions to various magazines.

D'Ooge was known as "the professor who studies more than his students.''

So it may come as a surprise to learn that he did not always enjoy the classical languages. "I despised it when I started out,'' he said. "Later I became an enthusiast.

"The value of Latin as a vocabulary builder and as a background for the study of modern languages is sufficient to warrant any effort which the student finds himself compelled to exert. It is well to remember that from 60 (percent) to 70 percent of the English speaking words are of Latin derivation.''

D'Ooge was active in the community as a member of the Congregational Church, the Kiwanis and the Twenty Club. He was also a member of the Phi Upsilon fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa and was a patron of the Arm of Honor fraternity at the Normal.

D'Ooge retired in 1938, and after the death of his wife moved to live with a daughter in Allentown, Pa. He died there March 7, 1940. So ended a life of achievement.