R. V. Truitt
Encyclopedia
Reginald Van Trump Truitt (August 12, 1890 – April 11, 1991) was an American zoologist, Army officer, and college lacrosse
player and coach. He spent his professional career studying the oyster habitat in the Chesapeake Bay
. Truitt founded the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory
at what is now the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
. He also served as the first head lacrosse coach at his alma mater, the University of Maryland
from 1919 to 1927. Truitt was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1959.
. He attended Snow Hill High School
, from which he graduated in 1910. He then went on to college at the Maryland Agricultural College
(now the University of Maryland) in 1910. While there, he played lacrosse
and competed in track
, winning letters
in both sports in 1911, 1912, 1913, and 1914. He served as the lacrosse team's captain and student coach as a senior in 1914. Truitt graduated from Maryland that year with a Bachelor of Science
degree.
Truitt served in the United States Army Air Service
during the First World War. He received a commission as a second lieutenant and served as a pilot in a pursuit squadron.
. Truitt taught as a zoology professor at Maryland from 1925 to 1941.
Truitt was Maryland's first official lacrosse coach and served in that capacity from 1919 to 1927. In 1923, Truitt, Curley Byrd
, Burton Shipley
, and Geary Eppley
founded the M Club, an athletic alumni association, as a means to keep former student-athletes actively involved with the university. In 1924, Maryland elevated its team to the varsity level, and Truitt amassed a varsity record of 22–8–1. Truitt continued his post-graduate education at Maryland, where he wrote his master's thesis on the oyster industry. He received his Master of Science
degree in 1921.
After his coaching tenure, he remained active in the sport of lacrosse, and in the 1920s and 1930s, Truitt served as an official. He also wrote numerous lacrosse articles that were published in Baltimore
newspapers, and was responsible for organizing a tour of the United States by English collegiate teams from the University of Oxford
and the University of Cambridge
. Truitt held several offices with the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association
.
Truit spent three decades studying the habitat of Chesapeake Bay
oyster
s, and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources
later called him "the most respected and influential scientist of his era in the Bay region and a tireless advocate for scientific inquiry into the Chesapeake." In 1925, Truitt founded the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory
on Solomons Island at what is now the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
(UMCES). He served as the laboratory's first director, and remained in that post until his retirement in 1954.
Truitt received his Ph.D.
from American University
in Washington, D.C.
in 1929. In 1930, Truitt married Mary Virginia née Harrington, daughter of former Maryland governor
Emerson Harrington
. The couple had two daughters: Virginia in 1931 and Gertrude (Trudy) in 1938, as well as a son, Emerson, who was born in 1933.
During the Second World War, Truitt worked for the government researching underwater sound, for which he received a commendation from the United States Navy
. He was a partner in the George W. Truitt & Company oyster business in Snow Hill until 1943.
's Department of Research and Education. He settled at Great Neck Farm in Stevensville, Maryland
. Truitt died of pneumonia
at the age of 100 on April 11, 1991 at Memorial Hospital in Easton, Maryland
.
The National Lacrosse Hall of Fame inducted Truitt as a player in 1959. The University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame
inducted him in 1984.
For his work in the Chesapeake, Truitt received the Rachel Carson
Award from the state of Maryland in 1981. In 1987, The Baltimore Sun
' s Sunday Sun magazine included him in its "150 People Who Shaped the Way We Live" in its 150th anniversary issue. The R.V. Truitt Controlled Environmental Laboratory at UMCES was named in his honor after its construction in 1973. After his death, the Truitt Memorial Fund was established to award scholarships for study in the marine sciences at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory.
Field lacrosse
Field lacrosse, sometimes referred to as the "fastest sport on two feet," is a full contact outdoor men's sport played with ten players on each team. The sport originated among Native Americans, and the modern rules of field lacrosse were initially codified by Canadian William George Beers in 1867....
player and coach. He spent his professional career studying the oyster habitat in the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
. Truitt founded the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory
Chesapeake Biological Laboratory
The Chesapeake Biological Laboratory is a marine science laboratory on the Chesapeake Bay in Solomons, Maryland, and it is the oldest state-supported marine laboratory on the East Coast of the U.S. It was founded in 1925 in a small waterman's shack by Dr. Reginald V. Truitt and is part of...
at what is now the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
With 1925 origins as a research station on Solomons Island, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science is one the University System of Maryland's two scientific research centers...
. He also served as the first head lacrosse coach at his alma mater, the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
from 1919 to 1927. Truitt was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1959.
Early life
Truitt was born on August 12, 1890 in Snow Hill, MarylandSnow Hill, Maryland
Snow Hill is a town in Worcester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,409 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Worcester County.-History:...
. He attended Snow Hill High School
Snow Hill High School
Snow Hill High School is a four-year public high school in Snow Hill, Worcester County, Maryland, United States. It is one of four public high schools in Worcester County along with Pocomoke High School, Stephen Decatur High School, and the Worcester Technical High School.-Overview:The school is...
, from which he graduated in 1910. He then went on to college at the Maryland Agricultural College
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
(now the University of Maryland) in 1910. While there, he played lacrosse
Field lacrosse
Field lacrosse, sometimes referred to as the "fastest sport on two feet," is a full contact outdoor men's sport played with ten players on each team. The sport originated among Native Americans, and the modern rules of field lacrosse were initially codified by Canadian William George Beers in 1867....
and competed in track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, winning letters
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
in both sports in 1911, 1912, 1913, and 1914. He served as the lacrosse team's captain and student coach as a senior in 1914. Truitt graduated from Maryland that year with a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree.
Truitt served in the United States Army Air Service
United States Army Air Service
The Air Service, United States Army was a forerunner of the United States Air Force during and after World War I. It was established as an independent but temporary wartime branch of the War Department by two executive orders of President Woodrow Wilson: on May 24, 1918, replacing the Aviation...
during the First World War. He received a commission as a second lieutenant and served as a pilot in a pursuit squadron.
Professor and coach at Maryland
After the war, Truitt began teaching at the University of Maryland. In 1919, he served as a graduate assistant in zoologyZoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
. Truitt taught as a zoology professor at Maryland from 1925 to 1941.
Truitt was Maryland's first official lacrosse coach and served in that capacity from 1919 to 1927. In 1923, Truitt, Curley Byrd
Curley Byrd
Harry Clifton "Curley" Byrd was an American university administrator, educator, athlete, coach, and politician...
, Burton Shipley
Burton Shipley
-References:*David Ungrady, , p. 3–26, 2003, Sports Publishing LLC.*, The M Club, accessed 18 January 2009.-External links:* at College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com* at Baseball-Reference...
, and Geary Eppley
Geary Eppley
Geary Francis "Swede" Eppley was an American university administrator, professor, agronomist, military officer, athlete, and track and field coach. He served as the University of Maryland athletic director from 1937 to 1947, during which time the school's athletic teams won seven national...
founded the M Club, an athletic alumni association, as a means to keep former student-athletes actively involved with the university. In 1924, Maryland elevated its team to the varsity level, and Truitt amassed a varsity record of 22–8–1. Truitt continued his post-graduate education at Maryland, where he wrote his master's thesis on the oyster industry. He received his Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degree in 1921.
After his coaching tenure, he remained active in the sport of lacrosse, and in the 1920s and 1930s, Truitt served as an official. He also wrote numerous lacrosse articles that were published in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
newspapers, and was responsible for organizing a tour of the United States by English collegiate teams from the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
and the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. Truitt held several offices with the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association
United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association
The United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association is an association of institutions with varsity college lacrosse programs in all three NCAA divisions, founded in 1885.-Awards:...
.
Truit spent three decades studying the habitat of Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
oyster
Oyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
s, and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is a government agency in the state of Maryland charged with maintaining natural resources such as the 66 state parks, public lands, state forests, state waterways, wildlife and recreation areas....
later called him "the most respected and influential scientist of his era in the Bay region and a tireless advocate for scientific inquiry into the Chesapeake." In 1925, Truitt founded the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory
Chesapeake Biological Laboratory
The Chesapeake Biological Laboratory is a marine science laboratory on the Chesapeake Bay in Solomons, Maryland, and it is the oldest state-supported marine laboratory on the East Coast of the U.S. It was founded in 1925 in a small waterman's shack by Dr. Reginald V. Truitt and is part of...
on Solomons Island at what is now the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
With 1925 origins as a research station on Solomons Island, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science is one the University System of Maryland's two scientific research centers...
(UMCES). He served as the laboratory's first director, and remained in that post until his retirement in 1954.
Truitt received his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in 1929. In 1930, Truitt married Mary Virginia née Harrington, daughter of former Maryland governor
Governor of Maryland
The Governor of Maryland heads the executive branch of the government of Maryland, and he is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the state, and he has a broad range of appointive powers in both the State and local governments,...
Emerson Harrington
Emerson Harrington
Emerson Columbus Harrington was the 48th Governor of Maryland in the United States from 1916 to 1920. He also served as Comptroller of the Maryland Treasury from 1912 to 1916.-Early life, career, and family:...
. The couple had two daughters: Virginia in 1931 and Gertrude (Trudy) in 1938, as well as a son, Emerson, who was born in 1933.
During the Second World War, Truitt worked for the government researching underwater sound, for which he received a commendation from the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. He was a partner in the George W. Truitt & Company oyster business in Snow Hill until 1943.
Later life and honors
In 1954, Truitt retired as the director of the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory and director of the Maryland Department of Natural ResourcesMaryland Department of Natural Resources
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is a government agency in the state of Maryland charged with maintaining natural resources such as the 66 state parks, public lands, state forests, state waterways, wildlife and recreation areas....
's Department of Research and Education. He settled at Great Neck Farm in Stevensville, Maryland
Stevensville, Maryland
Stevensville is a census-designated place in Queen Anne's County, Maryland, and is the county's most populous place among both CDPs and municipalities. The Stevensville Historic District is one of only two registered historic districts in the county, the other being the Centreville Historic...
. Truitt died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
at the age of 100 on April 11, 1991 at Memorial Hospital in Easton, Maryland
Easton, Maryland
Easton, founded 1710, is a town within the Easton District of Talbot County, Maryland, United States. The population was 11,708 at the 2000 census, and 14,677 according to current July 2008 census estimates. It is the county seat of Talbot County. The primary ZIP Code is 21601, and the...
.
The National Lacrosse Hall of Fame inducted Truitt as a player in 1959. The University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame
University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame
The University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 1982 by the M Club Foundation to honor student-athletes, coaches, and administrators who made significant contributions to athletics at the University of Maryland...
inducted him in 1984.
For his work in the Chesapeake, Truitt received the Rachel Carson
Rachel Carson
Rachel Louise Carson was an American marine biologist and conservationist whose writings are credited with advancing the global environmental movement....
Award from the state of Maryland in 1981. In 1987, The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun is the U.S. state of Maryland’s largest general circulation daily newspaper and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries....
Published works
- Kent Island: Maryland's Oldest Settlement (1965)
- High Winds, High Tides: A Chronicle of Maryland's Coastal Hurricanes (1968)
- Assateague... The "Place Across": A Saga of Assateague Island (1971)
- Worcester County, Maryland's Arcadia (1977)