Jan. 03--As picture editor at two Chicago newspapers in the 1960s and '70s, including the Tribune, Chuck Scott vigorously promoted the notion that photographs, drawings and design added to the power of stories.
"He had boundless energy, like a perpetual Energizer Bunny," said Jack Dykinga, a former Tribune assistant picture editor. "If something had never been done before in terms of (page) layout, he would push the envelope. As a result, he was ruffling feathers all the time, with different department heads not liking how he was giving more voice to images than they were accustomed to."
Scott, 91, died of multiple organ failure Nov. 20 at his home in Athens, Ohio, said his son-in-law, Terry Eiler. He had been a longtime Athens resident after leaving the Chicago area.
Born Charles Lewis Scott in downstate Illinois, Scott interrupted his studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to serve in the Navy during World War II. He graduated from the Navy's photography school and its photolithography school. He also earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for his efforts in 1944 in the Pacific theater, his family said.
After earning a bachelor's degree in journalism from the U. of I. in 1948, Scott worked a succession of jobs, including as a photographer for the Illinois Natural History Survey from 1948 until 1951 and at small papers.
From 1956 until 1966, Scott was assistant picture editor and then picture editor at the Milwaukee Journal. In 1966, he became the Chicago Daily News' first graphics director.
"I knew him first as a competitor because I was at the Sun-Times, and I just kept thinking, 'Who is this guy,' because he kept bringing in more and more talent to the Daily News. He made me up my game," Dykinga said.
Scott made several key hires during his time at the Daily News, and his staff won multiple awards. Scott was named editor of the year in the annual competition held by the University of Missouri and the National Press Photographers Association.
Ohio University recruited Scott from the Daily News in 1969 to expand the university's journalism school's visual education program. While at Ohio, Scott earned a master's degree in journalism and was promoted from instructor to assistant professor and then associate professor.
Scott returned to Chicago in 1974 when the Tribune hired him as picture editor.
Eiler said during his father-in-law's newspaper career, he admittedly liked more control over what photos would appear where. That passion, which sometimes led to clashes with his bosses, was driven by "his view that photography wasn't a second-class citizen," Eiler said.
"He was destined and determined to straighten that problem out," Eiler said. "When he started in the business, news photographers were probably hired because they could drive fast without hitting people or they were glorified copy boys. Chuck was a college graduate, and he didn't buy into that. He thought visual journalism was an equal part of the game."
Scott left the Tribune in 1976 to return to Ohio University, where he taught in the school's College of Communication. Two years later, he and his son-in-law co-founded the university's Institute of Visual Communication, which was a shared program between its College of Fine Arts and its College of Communication.
In 1986, the institute became a stand-alone School of Visual Communication, and Scott continued serving as its director.
"He would recount to his students how driven he had been to compete and create these wonderful pictures," said retired Indianapolis Star photographer Charlie Nye, a former student. "He was just an amazing presence, and his sense of humor and his confidence and excitement for photojournalism just bubbled over into everything."
Scott retired from Ohio University in 1995 but kept his hand in university affairs, his son-in-law said.
Scott's first wife, Jane Turner Scott, died in 1983. Scott is survived by his second wife, Martha McDonald; a daughter, Lyntha Eiler; a son, Tom; four stepchildren; 10 grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.
Services were held.
Goldsborough is a freelance reporter.
