Iš užverstos gyvenimo knygos

LTStraipsnyje atnaujinti prisiminimai apie nepaprasto darbštumo, kuklų, garbingą, pasaulinės reikšmės mokslininką – biologą Pranciškų Baltrų Šivickį (1882-09-30–1968-10-10), kuris savo gyvenime vadovavosi krikščioniškomis vertybėmis. Jis nuėjo sunkų, bet garbingą kelią nuo valstiečio jaunuolio, emigravusio (dėl caro represijų pavojaus) į JAV, juodadarbio darbininko iki profesoriaus, mokslų daktaro, akademiko. P.Šivickio veikla ženkli ne tik kaip neeilinio pedagogo (Kauno ir Vilniaus universitetuose), mokslininko, bet ir prisidėjusio prie Lietuvos tautosakos lobyno kaupimo. P.Šivickio gyvenimas yra sektinas pavyzdys ateinančioms kartoms – kaip svarbu neišbarstyti gyvenimo dienų menkaverčiams dalykams, nebijoti kad ir sunkaus, bet prasmingo kelio tikslui pasiekti. Savo gyvenimu, darbu, meile tėvynei Lietuvai Pranciškus Baltrus Šivickis nusipelnė pagarbos ir šlovės.

ENThis article deals with the 120th anniversary of the birthday of the prominent Lithuanian scientist-biologist, Academician of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Biology, Professor Pranciškus-Baltrus Šivickis. Šivickis was born on 30 September 1882 in the village of Žalakiškiai in the Raseiniai district in the family of a peasant. After the arrival of tsarist Russian punitive forces in Šiluva, Šivickis was forced to hide for some time and on 3 February 1906 secretly left his native country and emigrated to the United States. In subsequent years depending on the availability of funds, Šivickis studied at various universities: Valparaiso University in 1908–1911, University of Illinois in 1912, Purdue University in 1913–1914, University of Missouri in 1915–1917, Iowa State University and Columbia University in 1917–1918, and University of Chicago in 1920–1922. He earned a Ph.D. degree in Zoology after writing a thesis on the regeneration of tissues. From September 1922 to April 1928 Šivickis was a professor at the University of the Philippines (Manila). He then returned to Lithuania and from 1 January 1929 to 1 September 1940 served as Ordinary Professor at the Chair of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at Kaunas University From September 1940 to 1948 Šivickis taught at the University of the Vilnius and subsequently until his death on 10 October 1968 worked at institutions of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Agriculture at Baisogala, the Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, the Institute of Biology, the Institute of Zoology and Parasitology. He was buried in the Antakalnis cemetery in Vilnius.