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James MacAlister (1840-1913) served as the first president of the Drexel Institute of Art, Science and Industry from 1891 to 1913. He was chosen to be the first president because of his belief in the importance of a practical education. He was a proponent of vocational and technical education throughout his career. He attended Brown University and became a member of the Bar Association in 1864, but his focus was always on education. He ran the Philadelphia School System and in 1883 reorganized the City’s public schools.