2006 Edward L. Mattil

      Ed Mattil attended elementary schools in South Williamsport PA, before moving to State College in 1931, where his mother operated a room and board house and his father was employed at Penn State as a carpenter.

     As a boy, he delivered milk house-to-house in the morning, worked in a men's clothing store after school (sweeping, mopping, waxing, and dusting), and delivered the evening edition of Philadelphia Inquirer.

     After obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education from Penn State in1940, he taught for one semester for no pay in State College Junior High School. That was followed by teaching art courses and served as swimming coach in Cumberland MD public schools (1940-1941); serving as summer playground director, Wallingford PA (1941); teaching art courses and served as basketball coach in Nether Providence High School, Wallingford PA (1941-1947). That last position was interrupted by three years of service in the U. S. Army, where he was discharged as a Staff Sergeant in 1945.

     Returning to Penn State, he obtained a Master of Arts degree in 1946, and he then took a position as art teacher and head of the Art Department, along with being JV basketball coach, at State High (1947-1953).

     He obtained his Doctor of Education degree from Penn State in 1953, and his subsequent academic positions were: Graduate Assistant, Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor, Penn State (1953-1970); Head of Dept. of Art Education, Penn State (1960-1970); Dean of the College of Fine Arts, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud MN (1970-1971); Professor of Art, Chairman of the Dept. of Art, Director of the Industrial Training Laboratory, Director of the Center for Marketing and Design, North Texas State University, Denton TX (1971-1984).

     Ed retired as Professor Emeritus, North Texas State University, Denton TX, in 1986, and returned to live in State College in 1989. He has served two terms on State College Borough Planning Commission; served on State College Borough Centennial Celebration Commission (1992-1996); was the primary force in the creation of the Centennial Pig sculpture, now in Centennial Walkway alongside The Tavern Restaurant (1996); and received State College Borough's Legacy Award  for "significant contributions to the community," specifically for his leadership on two Centennial projects, the Centennial Pig sculpture and the College Avenue and Centennial Walkway inscribed brick pavers (1998).

     Numerous works of his art collection have been donated to Penn State's Palmer Museum, along with several sculptures to Schlow Centre Region Library. His donation of funds provided the elevator in Schlow Centre Region Library and a patient-care room at Mt. Nittany Medical Center. He was a major benefactor for the purchase of a building for the local branch of American Cancer Society, and he has received the highest honor from Pennsylvania Division of American Cancer Society. He has endowed six academic scholarships at Penn State University (4), North Texas State University, now University of North Texas (1), and Clarion University of Pennsylvania (1).

     Ed now resides in Foxdale Village in State College.