2001 Nobel Peace Prize Awarded

When U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the United Nations received the Nobel Peace Prize on December 10th in Oslo, Hamilton recalled one of its own. Elihu Root, a member of the Class of 1864, received the prestigious honor in 1912. Root served his country as Secretary of War, Secretary of State and U.S. Senator and was for decades a leading figure in American public life. His family was long associated with the College, for both his father, Oren "Cube" Root, and his older brother, Oren "Square" Root, had taught mathematics at Hamilton during the 19th century. Elihu was born on the Hamilton campus in Buttrick Hall, which now houses the President's Office, and he grew up in the family homestead (now the Anderson-Connell Alumni Center). In later life, he spent considerable time at his summer home, which now houses the Admission Office and is on the National Register of Historic Places. As chair of the Hamilton Board of Trustees for several decades until his death in 1937 at age 92, he looked after the welfare of the College with singular devotion.