The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-05-17
DIED WHILE TEACHING.
Prof. Grant. Principal of the High
School. Fell Dead in the Class
Room Yesterday Morning.

Professor Willard w. Grant, pyinci-
pal OF the high school. dropped dead
yesterday morning about IL o'clock,
wnile teaching Il ecrior class in pschy-
coogy.
lie was seated at the time in a class
room on the first floor and by a strange
coincidence had Just finished reading
the following words from a book when
he was stricken with death: young
people, Wn viii have our reward for
our ideiity in the next world" He
gasped for a moment, mumbed some-
thing about opening the. window, and
fell to the floor.
Nearly every student in the class
started al once for Il physician, and
in a few minutcs there We're half q
dozen on the scene. Professor Grant
was dead when they arrived and all
seemed unanimous in the belief that
death was caused by apoplexy. Cor
orer Roberts gave permission to have
the remains taken to the family nome
and this was done.
Miss Ethel Grant. n daughter OF the
professor. is pupil at the high school.
and was prostrated with grief when
taken into the room where her father
Law cold in death. Vice Principal Wag-
ner assumed charge of the school and
ordered it dismissed for the day.
Professor Grant was man of strik-
ing personality. being six feet four
inches high and weighing nearly 300
pounds. He was a most familiar fig
ure on the streets and once seen would
always be remembered.
He was born about fifty-two years
ago in the northern part of New York
state and was IA man of unusual ex-
perience and ability in his chosen pro-
fession. He entered Harvard university
i'm 1850 and graduated high in his class
IN 1869 He was known at college as
IA serious student who had little time
for the lighter and more frivolous side
of college life.
After his graduation he returned to
the western part Of New York state
where he married and. together with
his wife. started a preparatory school,
which they successfully conducted for
several years. at the end of which he
was called to the principalship of the
high school at Leavenworth. Kansas
rom where. after remaining for sew
eral Years. he went TO Indianapolis to
take charge of the high school in that
city.
In indianapolis Mr.. Grant developed
the greatest success of his life. in re-
adjusting and re-arranging the entire
high school course. 1t was in the In
dianapolis high school while Mr.. Grant
was principal that the first expert
ments in the introduction of manual
training in the public schools of this
country We're made.
So successful was the development
c; this manual training idea by Mr..
Grant that he was Soughtafter all over
the country as an authority on this
subject. His fame spread to the east
crn states and he was soon called to
Providence, r. L.. where he assumed
charge Of Il very large public enter
prise in the manual training line.
After several years he withdrew from
public work for Il time and engaged in
private study and the tutoring OF Il
few pupils preparing for college In
the summer of 1899 he was engaged
by the Scranton school board as prin-
cipal Of the Scranton High school,
position which he filed from Septem-
hrr of that year until yesterday, with
credit to himself and to the SatiSfac-
ton of all concerned in the educat ational
affairs Of this city.
lie was a member of the Penn Ave-
nue. Baptist church and an earnest
and Jealous Christian worker. doing
the Masters bidding in all things that
We're mete and proper. He is survived
by n Wife and five children as fol-
lows: Ethel, of this city: Warren. of
Harvard university; Blanche. of Mas
sachusetts; Bertha of Rhode Island,
and Pearl, of South Dakota. The lat
ter three are teachers.
The funeral will probably be held
on Monday from the family home ut
40 Madison avenue.
Coroner Roberts viewed the remains
shortly after death occurred and
deemed an inquest Unnecessary. Death
was due 10 apopleXy he said
y meeting of the High school COM
mitec of the board of control was held
last night and word received from
Mrs. Grant that the funeral will be
held on Monday and Will be private.
The delay is caused by the fact that
a daughter teaching in South Dakota
is coming to attend the ceremony. The
committee decided that no session of
the High school should he held either
today or Monday.
The pupils WILL however. assemble
as usual this morning in the audltori-
um and there pass resolutions re-
SardinS the untimely death of their
principal.