IO MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY. 



have to-day one of the leading marine laboratories of the world, 

 we owe it in large part to him. The interest of almost every 

 member of this board of trustees and of the corporation was 

 enlisted through his efforts, and the splendid influence which 

 the Marine Biological Laboratory has had upon the development 

 of biology in this country is traceable ultimately to him. 



His connection with the laboratory began at a time when it 

 had neither permanent home, recognized standing, nor scientific 

 ideals. Some of the leading biologists of this country felt that 

 it could not compete as a research station with the U. S. Fish 

 Commission Station, backed as the latter was by the resources 

 of the government, and that its chief field of usefulness must 

 be as a summer school. Whitman thought otherwise, and by his 

 real greatness as a scientist, his untiring energy and enthusiasm, 

 his splendid ideals and his unfailing faith and courage he made 

 it from the start the principal center in America for biological 

 research. 



From start to finish his ideals for the laboratory were these: 

 (i) A national center for research in every department of 

 biology; (2) a laboratory founded upon the cooperation of in- 

 dividuals and institutions; (3) An organization independent in 

 its government and free to follow its natural course of growth 

 and development. For these ideals he has labored consistently 

 and persistently year after year, sometimes with a disregard of 

 present advantage, to be gained by the sacrifice of one or the 

 other of these ideals, which cost him friendships which he highly 

 prized. At one particular crisis he wrote : " If I have made any 

 enemies through unkindness or injustice, I am sincerely sorry 

 for it; but if I have made any because I have stated my con- 

 viction on the question before us I can afford to part with all 

 friends who are made enemies for such a cause. Do not think 

 that I seek enemies or value lightly real friends." His faith in 

 the ultimate achievement of these ideals was so great that he 

 chose rather to sacrifice present good than, as he believed, the 

 future welfare of the laboratory; and his plans for the labora- 

 tory were so great, while current resources were so small, that 

 he was frequently charged with being impractical. But it is only 

 fair and just to recognize how much was accomplished by ad- 



