University of Illinois classics professor Richard Scanlan made a name for himself with his zest for teaching and life.

Even those who hadn't taken classes taught by Richard Scanlan had heard of him. But for those who attended his lectures, Professor Scanlan, who died June 21, was not only memorable but unforgettable.

He was the professor who combined teaching with showmanship. He sometimes dressed up in costume to play the roles of Jason or Hercules. Best known was his rendition of Apollo, the Greek god of prophecy, who would predict the outcome of Illini football and basketball games.

Good teaching is often as much about good humor and effective presentation as it is about good scholarship. Considered in that context, Scanlan was one of the UI's all-time best.

On what does one base such a subjective judgment?

Students clamored to get into his classes. Sometimes the auditorium seating 1,200 at the Foellinger building wasn't large enough to meet the demand. Students who weren't enrolled in his classes would find a reason to attend his lectures. Parents who had taken his class advised their children attending the UI to take his class.

Those are all pretty good endorsements of his teaching skills, not only testimonials to his flair for the dramatic but his creative ability to draw students into the subject at hand.

Equally devoted to his family and his church, Professor Scanlan was a major contributor both on campus and off, the kind of person of whom there are too few.