William Anthony Granville

The doctoral dissertation completed at Yale University in 1897 by William Anthony Granville examined the origin and development of the addition-theorem in elliptic functions. This work marked a pivotal point in his transition from a student under James Pierpont to a career that spanned higher education leadership, mathematical publishing, and the private insurance sector across the United States.

Academic Formation and Early Teaching

Born in White Rock, Goodhue County, on December 16, 1863, Granville pursued higher education at Gustavus Adolphus College and the Sheffield Scientific School at Yale College. He earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1893 and completed his Doctor of Philosophy in 1897. His early professional path included serving as an instructor and treasurer at Bethany College, where he also functioned as acting president. He subsequently returned to Yale to serve as a professor of mathematics from 1895 until 1910.

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Leadership at Gettysburg College

Granville assumed the presidency of Gettysburg College in October 1910, a position he held until 1923. His administration focused on fiscal stabilization and infrastructure expansion. He successfully retired the college's existing debt and established an endowment fund. Physical campus improvements included the construction of the Student Christian association building, the academy building, and Weidensall Hall. Under his guidance, the college introduced a department of engineering, established a summer school program, and elevated student entrance requirements. During World War I, he organized a department of military science and tactics, facilitating the establishment of an ROTC unit on campus.

Mathematical Publications and Corporate Life

A prolific writer, Granville produced textbooks covering differential and integral calculus, plane and spherical trigonometry, and mathematical analysis. His notable works include Elements of the Differential and Integral Calculus, published in 1911, and The Fourth Dimension and the Bible, released in 1922. In March 1923, he shifted his career focus toward the private sector, becoming a director and vice president at the Washington National Insurance Company in Evanston, Illinois. During this period, he authored manuals on health and accident insurance.

Professional Affiliations and Final Years

Granville maintained memberships in the American Mathematical Society, the American Society of Swedish Engineers, and Sigma Chi. He also served as president of the American Federation of Lutheran Brotherhoods from 1925 to 1929 and participated on the executive committee of the Churches of Christ in 1918. He held a Doctor of Laws from Lafayette College and attended Muhlenberg College. Granville died following a heart attack in Chicago on February 4, 1943, and was buried at Evergreen Cemetery.