F. Ritter Shumway
Encyclopedia
Frank Ritter Shumway was a major figure in figure skating
in the United States.
From 1951 to 1965, he was president of the Ritter Company, a dental chair manufacturer founded by his grandfather Frank Ritter, and later led the company's successor, the Sybron Corporation. The Ritter line was later bought from Sybron by Midmark
, and the line is still being sold today.
In 1955, Shumway founded the Genesee Figure Skating Club after becoming active (and setting records) in the over-35 category of figure skating competition. Needing a place to train, he donated money to the Rochester Institute of Technology
to add an ice rink
to its downtown Rochester
campus. The ice rink was later named for Shumway. When RIT was forced to move in the mid-1960s, he ensured that the new Henrietta
campus would also have an ice arena. The new rink, the Frank Ritter Memorial Ice Arena
, was named for Shumway's grandfather, a founder of one of RIT's forerunners, the Mechanics Institute. The Genesee Figure Skating Club also moved to the new arena when it was built in 1968.
Shumway became president of the United States Figure Skating Association
in 1961, shortly before the entire U.S. figure skating team, with coaches and family, died in the crash of Sabena Flight 548
(15 February 1961). Shumway was instrumental in uniting the figure skating community in its grief and providing an outlet for that grief, in the form of the USFSA Memorial Fund. Shumway said in September of that year: "We will take our Memorial Fund a giant skating stroke forward toward our goal of perpetuating the memory of our gallant 1961 World Team skaters, not so much by statuary and plaques, as by giving us the means to assist talented young skaters — many of them yet 'undiscovered' — to get started, to develop and advance, and eventually to represent our country in future years, and to be ranked at the top of the world in the art of figure skating."
Shumway and his wife, Hettie (née Lakin), were generous donors to RIT. Hettie Shumway is the namesake
of one of RIT's dining halls.
Shumway was inducted into the U.S. and World Figure Skating Hall of Fame
s in 1986. He continued ice skating until just months before his death in 1992.
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
in the United States.
From 1951 to 1965, he was president of the Ritter Company, a dental chair manufacturer founded by his grandfather Frank Ritter, and later led the company's successor, the Sybron Corporation. The Ritter line was later bought from Sybron by Midmark
Midmark
Midmark Corporation was originally founded in 1915 as The Cummings Machine Company. Through a combination of organic growth and acquisitions, Midmark has expanded into a healthcare solutions provider for the medical, dental and veterinary markets...
, and the line is still being sold today.
In 1955, Shumway founded the Genesee Figure Skating Club after becoming active (and setting records) in the over-35 category of figure skating competition. Needing a place to train, he donated money to the Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
The Rochester Institute of Technology is a private university, located within the town of Henrietta in metropolitan Rochester, New York, United States...
to add an ice rink
Ice rink
An ice rink is a frozen body of water and/or hardened chemicals where people can skate or play winter sports. Besides recreational ice skating, some of its uses include ice hockey, figure skating and curling as well as exhibitions, contests and ice shows...
to its downtown Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
campus. The ice rink was later named for Shumway. When RIT was forced to move in the mid-1960s, he ensured that the new Henrietta
Henrietta, New York
Henrietta is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States. It is a suburb of Rochester. The population was 42,581 at the 2010 census. Established in 1818, the town is named after Henrietta Laura Pulteney, Countess of Bath, daughter of Sir William Pulteney, 5th Baronet, a major British...
campus would also have an ice arena. The new rink, the Frank Ritter Memorial Ice Arena
Frank Ritter Memorial Ice Arena
The Frank Ritter Memorial Ice Arena, known colloquially as "The Ritter", is an ice arena on the campus of the Rochester Institute of Technology in Henrietta, a suburb of Rochester, New York, United States. It is home to the RIT Tigers ice hockey teams and the Genesee Figure Skating Club...
, was named for Shumway's grandfather, a founder of one of RIT's forerunners, the Mechanics Institute. The Genesee Figure Skating Club also moved to the new arena when it was built in 1968.
Shumway became president of the United States Figure Skating Association
United States Figure Skating Association
U.S. Figure Skating is the national governing body for the sport of figure skating on ice in the United States. It is recognized as such by the United States Olympic Committee "USOC" under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act and is the United States member of the International Skating...
in 1961, shortly before the entire U.S. figure skating team, with coaches and family, died in the crash of Sabena Flight 548
Sabena Flight 548
Sabena Flight 548, registration OO-SJB, was a Boeing 707 aircraft that crashed en route to Brussels, Belgium, from New York City on February 15, 1961, killing the entire United States Figure Skating team on its way to the 1961 World Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia.The flight, which...
(15 February 1961). Shumway was instrumental in uniting the figure skating community in its grief and providing an outlet for that grief, in the form of the USFSA Memorial Fund. Shumway said in September of that year: "We will take our Memorial Fund a giant skating stroke forward toward our goal of perpetuating the memory of our gallant 1961 World Team skaters, not so much by statuary and plaques, as by giving us the means to assist talented young skaters — many of them yet 'undiscovered' — to get started, to develop and advance, and eventually to represent our country in future years, and to be ranked at the top of the world in the art of figure skating."
Shumway and his wife, Hettie (née Lakin), were generous donors to RIT. Hettie Shumway is the namesake
Namesake
Namesake is a term used to characterize a person, place, thing, quality, action, state, or idea that has the same, or a similar, name to another....
of one of RIT's dining halls.
Shumway was inducted into the U.S. and World Figure Skating Hall of Fame
World Figure Skating Hall of Fame
The World Figure Skating Hall of Fame serves as a repository for the sport of figure skating. The World Figure Skating Hall of Fame is where the greatest names in the history of the sport are honored...
s in 1986. He continued ice skating until just months before his death in 1992.