Charles T. Roll

Wabash Valley profiles : a series of tributes to hometown heroes who have made a difference

Description:	One typed page including photograph; biography of Charles Roll, history teacher. ABASH VALLEY WP R O F I L E SA series of tributes to hometown heroes who have made a difference.Charles T. Rolln inspirational history teacher, Charles T. Roll left a rich scholastic legacy, living to see his 98th birthday. Born Aug. 8, 1883, on a small farm in Riley Township to John Aaron and Mary Jane (Shaw) Roll, Charles attended Oak Hill Country School, a one-room log structure which offered eight grades. Terre Haute was a three-hour trip by horse and buggy. Attending the closest high school was unrealistic so, upon finishing the eighth grade, he stayed at Oak Hill for three more years to absorb everything he could. He enrolled at Indiana State Normal School in 1901, earning a teaching certificate in 1906. Before enrolling at Indiana University, he taught history at Brazil High School for two years. While commuting to teach at Columbus High School, he secured a B.A. in history at IU in 1910. It was the same year sister Bertha earned a degree from Indiana State Normal and younger brother Grover L. Roll, later at outstanding mathematics teacher in the Terre Haute Public Schools, received his diploma from Wiley High School. In 1912 Charles earned a masters degree from the University of Wisconsin and remained in Madison one additional year as a Fellow in American History. Meanwhile, he married Opal McShane. Son Charles Robert Roll was born in Madison on March 20, 1913. Roll returned to Terre Haute in 1913 to join the faculty at his alma mater as assistant professor of history. In 1914 the Rolls built a residence north of Collett Park at 2614 North Eighth St. Opal gave birth to daughter Helen Margaret on Nov. 29, 1915. Gradually advancing to full professor of history, Charles was named chairman of the social sciences department at Indiana State Teachers College in 1942. A serious student of Indiana history, Roll frequently was published in professional journals. Perhaps his most significant academic work is the five-volume treatise, Indiana: One Hundred Years of American Development, issued in 1931 by the Lewis Publishing Company. In 1948 Rolls book, Colonel Dick Thompson: The Persistent Whig, was published by the Indiana Historical Bureau. After serving with distinction for 38 years, Roll retired from the ISTC faculty in July 1951 at age 67. Though officially retired, he continued to actively engage in research and was seen on campus almost every day. In 1973 Indiana State University created the Charles Roll Award for distinguished achievement in the study of history and the following year awarded Roll an honorary doctorate of letters. During his academic career, Roll was an officer in the Indiana Historical Society and active in the Organization of American Historians, American Historical Association, Vigo County Historical Society and the Terre Haute Literary Society. He was also a member of St. Stephens Episcopal Church. In 1976, at age 92, he made his first airplane flight to New York City to visit his children and their families. Except for being hard of hearing, Charles remained in good health, residing in the home he built in 1914 until a few months before his death at age 98, on Jan. 7, 1982. Brother Grover L. Roll died Feb. 9, 1980, at age 90.AAlways Close to Home812-238-6000Sign up now for FREE* online banking atwww.first-online.comEQUAL HOUSING LENDER MEMBER FDIC*One-time sign-up fee is $5.95File name: Charles T. Roll profileDate Published: Sept 15, 2005
Origin:	2005-09-14
Created By:	McCormick, Mike
Publisher:	Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Source:	http://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/vchs/id/655
Collection:	Vigo County Historical Society
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/
Copyright:	Copyright Undetermined
Subjects:	Roll, Charles T., 1883-1982 Teachers Historians Indiana State University People Education

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