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The Francis F. Bartlett and Ruth K. Bartlett Professorship

The Francis F. Bartlett and Ruth K. Bartlett Professorship is an endowed chair at Colby College established to support faculty scholarship, teaching, and academic leadership. Endowed through a bequest in the early 2000s, the chair reflects a multi-generational commitment to liberal arts education and civic stewardship in Waterville, Maine.

A Multi-Generational Colby & Waterville Legacy

The professorship was endowed by Francis "Frank" F. Bartlett Jr. '56 (September 12, 1934 – December 1, 2003) to honor the memory of his parents, Francis F. Bartlett, class of 1926, and Ruth K. Bartlett, who received an honorary degree in 1927.

The Bartlett family's connection to Colby College and central Maine spanned more than a century. Frank's grandmother, Grace Bartlett, attended Colby briefly in the 1800s, setting the foundation for generations of family alumni, including not only his parents, but aunts, uncles, and cousins as well. You can learn more about Frank's family from this Waterville genealogy site.

The Bartlett family was deeply entwined in the history of Waterville, and they were prominent supporters of its civic life. Martin Bartlett, Frank's grandfather, was a former mayor of Waterville and joined the local insurance agency that would become the historic Boothby & Bartlett Company. Francis, who died in 1954 at the age of 50, was similarly engaged within the Waterville community, serving on the Colby Board of Trustees, the Waterville City Council, the Waterville School Board, and the boards of the Thayer Hospital, the Boys' Club, and the Waterville Country Club. Likewise, Ruth founded the Thayer Hospital Auxiliary and served as a director for the Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers.

The Life & Generosity of Frank Bartlett Jr. '56

Following in his family’s footsteps, Frank Bartlett Jr. spent virtually his entire life living and working on Main Street in Waterville. After graduating from Colby in 1956, he earned an M.B.A. from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania (1958) before returning home to become the third generation to lead Boothby & Bartlett Company, serving for many years as its treasurer and president (the firm was acquired by TD Banknorth in 2006).

A lifelong bachelor with no children, Frank devoted his energy to business, community leadership, and warm personal friendships. He served on the board of trustees at Thomas College where he established the Francis F. Bartlett, Jr. Scholarship Fund to support local students, and served as a long-time volunteer, trustee, and treasurer for the Waterville Public Library. Upon his death, he left a $100,000 bequest to the library (at the time, the largest gift the institution had ever received) to establish the Frank Bartlett Reading Room (now the Bartlett Room for Teens).

Despite his leadership roles across the city, Frank maintained a deep, lifelong bond with Colby College, frequently sharing lunches and games of Scrabble with campus leaders. Upon his father's death, Frank established the Francis F. Bartlett Scholarship Fund at Colby in his name. Through his estate bequest, he subsequently created the Francis F. Bartlett and Ruth K. Bartlett Professorship. Frank passed away at age 69 and rests alongside his family in Pine Grove Cemetery on Grove Street in Waterville.

History of Chairholders

The Bartlett Chair has supported faculty across disciplines at Colby College: