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a student in the Theological Department
of Northwestern University, and when
graduated, was pastor of the First Metho-
dist Church of Spokane, Washington. In
1905 he decided to enter the educational
field as president of Upper Iowa Univer-
sity. His high rank among educators
proves the wisdom of his judgment in
choosing this field of usefulness. Since
1909 he has been the honored president of
Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut,
which, while founded by a group
of ministers of the Methodist Episcopal
church, and in traditional sympathetic re-
lationship thereto, is an independent university.
He rapidly attained an eminence
in the councils of the church, and with the
years has broadened and grown until he
occupies a prominent position among the
educators of the country.
Dr. Shanklin is a grandson of Samuel
Shanklin, of Wythe county, Virginia, and
the son of Wesley Dunscombe Shanklin,
a successful merchant and banker of Car-
rollton, Missouri, who married Lockie
Ann Arnold, daughter of Wyatt and Fran-
ces (Austin) Arnold. These were the
parents of William Arnold Shanklin,
whose career is herein traced.
William Arnold Shanklin was born at
Carrollton, Missouri, April 18, 1862. He
prepared for college in the public school
of his native place, and entered Hamilton
College in 1879, graduating, A. B., class
of 1883. He prepared for the ministry,
and in 1887 was admitted a member of the
Kansas Conference, and was stationed at
Peru. In 1889 ne entered Garrett Biblical
Institute, the Divinity School of North-
western University, whence he was grad-
uated, B. D., class of 1891. During the
latter part of his term at the university he
became minister of the First Methodist
Church at Spokane, going thence, in 1893,
to the First Church of Seattle, Washing-
ton. In 1896 he was transferred to his-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
300
toric St. Luke's Church, at Dubuque, in
the Upper Iowa Conference, where he
had a remarkably successful pastorate of
four years, 1896- 1900. He was then transferred
to the Philadelphia Conference and
stationed at Memorial Church in Reading,
Pennsylvania, which he served acceptably
until 1905, when he resigned to accept the
presidency of Upper Iowa University,
Fayette, Iowa. The eighteen years Dr.
Shanklin spent in the itinerant ministry
of the church were years of blessing both
to himself and the churches he served. He
developed strong intellectual qualities,
and both as pastor and preacher fulfilled
the highest expectations. Even before
leaving Iowa, in 1900; he had become
widely and favorably known and had been
called to the presidency of an important
educational institution, an honor which
he declined. So, too, his call to the Read-
ing Church was begotten of his prominence
as a divine, and his five years with
Memorial Church added to his fame and
to the great development of that church.
Upon assuming the presidency of Up-
per Iowa University, Dr. Shanklin lost
no time in entering vigorously upon his
plans for the development of the institu-
tion, and during his four years' incumbency
accomplished a wonderful work.
His energy and enthusiasm inspired
others, and he was able to do a great deal
to place the university on a sound basis,
and largely increased its standing as a
State educational asset. He continued at
the university until 1909, when he resigned
to accept the presidency of Wes-
leyan University, Middletown, Connecti-
cut, an office to which he had been chosen
by the university authorities, November
13, 1908.
During his years as pastor and univer-
sity president, Dr. Shanklin had formed a
wide acquaintance with men of note in
public life, in church and in educational