Hilbert A. Fisher
From Alumni News, February, 1940
(Found in the University Archives, UA 9.3, Fisher folder)
Prof. Hilbert A. Fisher left a career in the United States Navy, in which he had served as an officer for five years, to join the faculty of N. C. State College in September of 1920 as an instructor. He now heads the Department of Mathematics and is chairman of the athletics committee and the Athletic Council.
Hilbert A. Fisher was born on Jan. 14, 1892, in Salisbury, North Carolina, He graduated from Mount Pleasant Collegiate Institute (junior college) in June, 1911, and entered the U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. There he never failed a course or required examination. He made his letter in athletics for four years, and for three years he was the leading batter on the baseball team. Prof. Fisher graduated from the Naval Academy in June, 1915. During the World War he was in transport service and made 10 round trips to Europe convoying troops. He served on the dreadnought (a battleship armed with six or more guns having calibers of 12 inches or more) U.S.S. New Hampshire for two years and was Executive Engineering Officer for one year. In 1919 Prof. Fisher was graduated from the U.S. Submarine School and for the next year was assigned to the submarine U. S. S. K-4. He resigned from the navy in 1920 and in September of that year he came to State College. as an instructor in the Department of Mathematics. In 1921 Prof. Fisher returned to Mount Pleasant to be co-principal of the Mount Amoena Seminary and returned to State College in 1924. In 1927 Prof. Fisher received a Master of Science in Physics from State College. He was succeeded Dean. J. W. Harrelson as Head of the Mathematics Department in 1934.
In all, Prof. Fisher has served with the college for 17 years. Last June he was elected to the council of the Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education for a three year term. He is a member of the American Mathematical Society and is on the the executive committee of the North Carolina Lutheran Synod. Prof. Fisher is the author of textbooks on solid geometry, elementary algebra and college algebra. He and Mrs. Fisher, who live at 125 Brooks Avenue in Raleigh, are the parents of two children.
Editors Note: In 1934 and 1935 Dr. Fisher moved the department forward significantly by hiring eight faculty with Ph.D.'s from prestigious universities. They were in 1934 : J. G. Estes (MIT), J. M . Clarkson (Cornell), H. V. Park (UNC) and in 1935: H. M. Nahikian ( (UNC), L. S. Winton (Duke), J. W. Cell, (Illinois), J. Levine (Princeton), and R. C. Bullock ( Chicago). These men were the core of the Mathematics Department for many years.Fisher was very diplomatic, and he knew how to get things done. He was close friends with both Harrelson, the Chancellor, and the Treasurer. Fisher had a vision for State College. He knew it was to grow in size and prestige and thought the mathematics department should have some people in math at the Ph.D. level so that the mathematics department could be able to be a part of that vision. His friendship with Harrelson no doubt made it easier for Fisher to hire eight Ph.D's or future Ph.D's in 1934 and 1935.