Lyman Hall (academic)

American academic administrator

Lyman Hall (February 18, 1859 – August 16, 1905) was a professor and president of the Georgia School of Technology (now called the Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech). Hall's administration introduced degrees in electrical engineering and civil engineering in December 1896, textile engineering in February 1899, and engineering chemistry in January 1901. Hall died in 1905, reportedly due to the stress of fundraising for a new chemistry building which now bears his name.

Born in 1859 in Americus, Georgia, he attended Mercer University in Penfield, Georgia. He was admitted to the United States Military Academy in 1877, and graduated in 1881. Due to a physical disability, he was unable to have a military career; instead, he taught mathematics at the Georgia Military Academy in Kirkwood, Georgia, for two years and subsequently at the South Carolina Military Academy in Charleston, South Carolina (now known as "The Citadel") from 1883 to 1886. He was then a professor at the Moreland Park Military Academy before Georgia Tech recruited him. He had an energetic personality and quickly assumed a leadership position among the faculty. In February 1899, Georgia Tech opened the first textile engineering school in the Southern United States, with $10,000 from the Georgia General Assembly, $20,000 of donated machinery, and $13,500 from supporters. The school was named the A. French Textile School, after its chief donor and supporter, Aaron S. French. Hall's other goals included enlarging Tech and attracting more students, so he expanded the school's offerings beyond mechanical engineering; the new degrees introduced during Hall's administration included electrical engineering and civil engineering in December 1896, textile engineering in February 1899, and engineering chemistry in January 1901. Hall also became infamous as a disciplinarian, even suspending the entire senior class of 1901 for returning from Christmas vacation a day late. Hall died on August 16, 1905, during a vacation at a New York health resort. His death while still in office was attributed to stress from his strenuous fund raising activities (this time, for a new Chemistry building).