University of Illinois - Illio Yearbook (Urbana Champaign, IL)

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1..ii,-,,,-,-, rd- ,, ,-N , , M ,,,, AH ,Ac , A,...,..,........1 Professor Sthattuclcs Services to the University of Illinois The request of the editor of the MILLION that I write a story of Professor Samuel liialker Shattuck's life for publication in the IQI4, MILLION, and that I keep that story within the limit of five hundred or six hundred j words, gives rise to very mixed feelings on my part. 3 To write what I know of my long-time friend is at any A time a pleasure, to do so with a fair measure of justice is to him or to myself in the narrow confines of five or as six folios is an impossibility. S2 -as Born in IS4I in Groton, KIassachusetts, of splendid A 9 ' as-. f ' K., New England stock. Professor Shattuck was the de- '-'- ,,..ai u,,,fE-: scendent of a fine line of soldiers, from his great grand- - -- 'lei ' V father, job Shattuck, who served in King Georges army K' ' ' before the Revolution, and under Yliashington later, to ' his father, Walter Shattuck, who fought against Great Britain in the war of ISI2, and who was Lieutenant 99' Colonel of the Sixth Regiment of KIassachusetts Klilitia at the outbreak of the Rebellion. Samuel IV. Shattuck, then a lad of scarcely twenty, had already been in this AT THE AGE 0F35 regiment for several years and was holding the office of Sergeant Major. Lieutenant Colonel Iiialter Shattuck started with his regiment for Xkashington, but soon was compelled to resign owing to the infirmities of age. The sword which he was no longer able to wield he gave to his son Samuel, whose use of it brought still greater honor to the family name. Graduating from Norwich Iiniversity, in Vermont, with the degree of B, S., Samuel XY. Shattuck was an instructor in mathematics in that institution at the beginning of the Rebellion. He went at once to the front and served for three months with his regiment in and about Baltimore and iiiashington. In the fall he returned to Norwich Lvniversity to re- 'I' sume teaching. The expectation that the Rebellion would be quickly and easily 1 suppressed not having been realized, Pro- is , N fessor Shattuck, in 1803, entered the . veteran army and in October became Ad- jutant of the Iiighth Yermont Infantry. serving with his regiment, or upon special ' - detail duty, until it was mustered out of wx service in june, 1Sb5. .-Xt the close of the ' X war he again returned to Norwich I'ni- versity as adjunct professor of mathe- matics and military tactics. In 1805-oo 1' he was acting president. and from that time was vice-president until he gave up the position to go to the Liniversity of Illinois. Professor Shattuckis work at the Iini- versity of Illinois began in ISIJH, as assis- tant professor of mathematics and in- structor in military tactics, within three 1 years he was made full professor of mathe- matics, and for many years he was a sort ,ITTHE ME 01:45 Page o I - silxt

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of Lord High IfIYL'I'yIIlll1Q lilseu at the Liniversityg teaching civil engineering doing the surveying for the l'niversity, even holding for six months, in 1873, , the olhce of acting president. But essentially, and for thirty-seven years, he was the head of the Department of Klathematics, filling the position with entire acceptability through all the marvelous advances ol the lvniversity during this long period. In 1873, looking after the business allairs of the , Liniversity was added to his duties, 4 and he carried that burden for many years in connection with his other position. Finally, however, the time , came when he could no longer endure the strain of filling two positions, each of which was already great and steadily growing. I was at this time president of the University: and it was upon my advice that the othce of comptroller was created, and I have always been glad to think that I had so much to do with presuading Professor Shattuck to accept the same. It meant more to the University to have him continue as comptroller than as professor of mathematics, and he was willing to serve his loved bniversity where he could serve it best. His success as tinancier of the great institution has been as marked as was his success in the Department of hlathematics. Courageous, tenacious, consistent, with a steady hand on the wheel, he has guided Ivniversity matters to a safe port through some severe squalls as well as in calmer seas. His habit of kindliness, as well as his ability to take a dilemma by the hornsg his knowledge of men and of affairs, as well as of sciences and philosophies, all stood him in good stead, Among the makers of the University of Illinois the name of Samuel Walker Shattuck deserves an honored place. For more than forty-four years he has freely given to the Ivniversity his best thought, his conscientious care, his soldierly exact- - ness, his almost unerring judgment, his love for and interest in students, and his 3 simple faith in God. In his wise and prudent management of its business affairs, 5 he has rendered to a great institution a splendid service, which can never be for- l i ATTHI-I .MH-3 or till i gotten. E Axnarzw S. IDRAPER. Commissioner of Ifducation of the State of New York. lPresident Liniversity of Illinois INQ4-119049. i I Page 7 .