Henry Burchard Fine (September 14, 1858 – December 22, 1928) was an American university dean and mathematician. Life and career Henry Burchard Fine (1858 – 1928) played a critical role in modernizing the American university and raising American mathematics “from a state of approximate nullity to one verging on parity with the European nations”. This tribute in Oswald Veblen’s obituary [see in "Obituary" below] accurately recognized Fine’s role both in training American mathematicians to provide international leadership to this field and in building Princeton University’s reputation in mathematics and science. Fine’s efforts contributed greatly toward making Princeton the site of Albert Einstein’s first North American lectures, and eventually his home. Fine began his time as a Princeton undergraduate studying Greek and Latin, but a mathematics tutor, George B. Halstead, convinced him to switch his considerable talents to mathematics. He ranked highest academically in his Class of 1880 for all four years, during which he caught the attention of President James McCosh. As a result, Fine was among a small group of highly talented undergraduates whom McCosh invited to his house for informal seminars and nurtured as future faculty. After graduation, Fine remained at Princeton (then called the College of New Jersey) for a year of post-graduate work followed by three more years as a tutor. Then, as Germany was the leading center of mathematics scholarship, he went to the University of Leipzig to study mathematics with Felix Klein under whom he earned his PhD in one year. He returned to Princeton as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics in 1885 and soon established himself as a leader in the faculty, ultimately named the Dod Professor of Mathematics in 1898. In addition, his reputation beyond Princeton grew through publications and his role as one of the founding members of the American Mathematical Society. However, it was reviving his undergraduate friendship with Woodrow Wilson (Class of 1879) that led to his subsequent impact on Princeton and American scholarship. Fine, (Class of 1880), one year behind Wilson, assisted him as a junior and then succeeded him as Managing Editor of the "Princetonian", the campus’ student newspaper. When Wilson joined the Princeton faculty in 1890 their relationship resumed, beginning a close and consequential lifelong friendship. After McCosh’s retirement in 1888, the College of New Jersey’s new President, Francis Landey Patton, was satisfied to preside over what he called "the best country club" in the country.