Born to Edward Hitchcock Sr., the geologist and President of Amherst College, and wife Orra White, Hitchcock attended Williston Seminary as a boy and continued his education while following in his father's footsteps by entering Amherst College in the fall of 1845.

Edward Hitchcock Jr. contributed to Amherst College not only with his enlightened ideas concerning physical education, but also with his genuine personality.

Hitchcock Jr. was noted as a kind, broad-minded, vigorous, optimistic, honest, faithfully religious man with shrewd common sense and an intense loyalty to the college.

Old Doc is a noted "crusader for fitness" he created schedules for physical exercises to be completed at the college.

[2] While Edward Hitchcock Jr. actively practiced and taught physical education at Amherst, he also conducted research and intently studied the scientific functions that applied to his phys ed ideas.