Reid spent his childhood working on his father's farm, and attended local public school.

[1] Deciding to continue his education, Reid enrolled at the University of Toronto and then transferred to the Collegiate Institute in Hamilton, Ontario.

This was followed by two more years[1] of theological study at The Presbyterian College of Montreal, where he graduated with a Master of Divinity degree.

He moved back to New York City in 1889, where he spent a few months in graduate study again at Union Theological Seminary.

[3] The college grew quickly under Reid, who provided the campus with 10 years of stability and relative harmony.

A vacant store on Main Street was also rented to provide additional classroom space.

To accommodate the rapid rise in enrollment, Reid also hired a large number of faculty.

According to Montana historians Pierce Mullen, Robert Rydell, and Jeffrey Safford, Reid ensured the college's survival.

The state legislature had not clearly defined roles for either the Bozeman campus or its rival in Missoula (now the University of Montana).

Bozeman had a large red-light district by 1900, alcohol was plentiful and cheap, and there was little in the way of organized entertainment such as theaters to occupy the student body.

Reid resigned for health reasons in 1904, and was succeeded as president by Dr. James M. Hamilton, an economist.