William Holding Echols (professor)

William Holding Echols VI (December 2, 1859 – September 25, 1934),[1] generally called "Reddy" Echols, was a professor of mathematics at the University of Virginia. The Echols Scholars Program is named in his honor. William Echols was the son of the fifth of the same name who was a Major in Confederate States of America.[2]

Echols attended the university as an undergraduate and received his Bachelor of Science and a civil engineering degree from the university in 1882. Following his graduation, he became an engineering professor, and later director, of the Missouri School of Mines (now Missouri University of Science and Technology). He returned to UVA as adjunct professor of mathematics in 1891, teaching mechanical engineering and serving as the building and grounds supervisor.

On October 27, 1895, a fire started in the Rotunda Annex on the UVA grounds. Echols, in a dramatic attempt to save the Rotunda, attempted to use dynamite to destroy the roofed portico that connected the Annex and the Rotunda and keep the fire from spreading to the historic building. Unfortunately, despite his attempt to hurl 50 pounds of dynamite to the portico from atop the Rotunda dome, the portico held, the fire spread more rapidly than before, and the Rotunda was gutted by the blaze.[3]

In later years, Echols authored a text on elementary calculus.[4][5] He remained active in University life and was a member of Eli Banana. He died of a heart attack in his home on the East Lawn in 1934 and is buried in the university cemetery.

Personal life

Echols was the son of William Holding Echols, a noted Confederate soldier.[6] He was the father of Oliver P. Echols, a prominent military officer during World War II.[7]

Selected publications

  • On a general formula for the expansion of functions in series. Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 2 (1893) 135–144. MR 1557227
  • Wronski's expansion. Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 2 (1893) 178–184. MR 1557241

References

  1. ^ "William Holding Echols (1859-1934)". University of Virginia Department of Mathematics, Professors (1825 through 1900). Archived from the original on 2008-07-07. Retrieved 2008-03-20.
  2. ^ 1870 U.S. census, Madison County, AL, population schedule, Brownshare Post Office, p. 117 (stamped), dwelling 206, family 214, "Willie Echols", NARA microfilm publication M593, roll unk.
  3. ^ Bruce, Philip Alexander (1921). History of the University of Virginia, 1819-1919: The Lengthened Shadow of One Man. New York: MacMillan. pp. 257–260.
  4. ^ Echols, William (1902). An Elementary Text-book on the Differential and Integral Calculus. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
  5. ^ Haskell, M. W. (1906). "Review: An Elementary Text-book on the Differential and Integral Calculus by William H. Echols" (PDF). Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 13 (1): 32–33. doi:10.1090/s0002-9904-1906-01412-4.
  6. ^ This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Confederated Southern Memorial Association (U.S.); Sons of Confederate Veterans (Organization); United Confederate Veterans; United Daughters of the Confederacy (1893). Confederate veteran [serial]. Duke University Libraries. Nashville, Tenn. : [S.A. Cunningham]. p. 30.
  7. ^ Mathematics at West Point in the Early Twentieth Century
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