THE AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION 



4i3 



Nrrrulngu 



Dean Charles Edwin Bessey died at 

 his home in Lincoln, Nebraska, Thurs- 

 day, February 25th. The news of his 

 death reached this office too late to be 

 mentioned in our April number. Dr. 

 Bessey was indeed a "doctor," for he 

 was a teacher in every sense of the word. 

 He was also a thorough and thoroughly 

 technical scientist. He was one of the 

 rare men of great learning with a spe- 

 cial sympathy for those who do not 

 know. It is said by those that came in 

 special touch with him in college that 

 he was particularly fond of the fresh- 

 men. He declared that work with them 

 is far more important than in any other 

 department of college instruction, be- 

 cause in the freshman year are acquired 

 incentives, enthusiasm and habits of 

 study. Dr. Bessey was a learned botan- 

 ist, and the author of many books and 

 pamphlets on the subject. He was a 

 prominent member of" various scientific 

 societies, and the first member to enroll 

 in The Agassiz Association under the 

 present management, and constantly 

 manifested an interest and a desire to co- 

 operate in our work. He never became 

 a "has been." 'Up to the time of his last 

 illness he worked with all the enthusiasm 

 and charming result that we naturally 

 expect from those that early began to 

 explore the realms of nature. He was 

 constantly a beginner in some new work, 

 or in new endeavors to inspire others 

 with- a love of nature. He was a con- 

 tributor to The Guide to Nature and 

 a constant adviser and cooperator with 

 its manager. No question was too sim- 

 ple for him to answer and none too diffi- 

 cult. Upon all he brought to bear a 

 scholarship that was profound and a love 

 that was enthusiastic and unbounded. 



Special tribute was paid to him in 

 the House of Representatives in his state 

 not only because of his prominence and 

 influence in the State University, but on 

 account of his remarkable enthusiasm. 

 Savs one speaker : 



"Wonderful was the relationship that 

 sorang between him and the freshmen 

 from the town or the farm or the sand 

 hills country. As he unfolded to them 

 the mysteries of plant life, they saw that 



they had been in a world of wonder and 

 a world of beauty which they had never 

 appreciated before. The once aimless, 

 thoughtless students felt the thrill. They 

 saw the magnificent work of the Cre- 

 ator and felt the spell of nature and of 

 one greater than nature. During the 

 first year in the university many would 

 decide to specialize in botany. With 

 Doctor Bessey as their counselor and 

 friend many would go on with their 

 work for love of the subject during va- 

 cation times. The sand hills country at- 

 tracted some of them. The great plains 

 attracted others. The mountains of Col- 

 orado attracted others; no summer 

 passed without Doctor Bessey's students 

 studying plant life in some "near or re- 

 mote sections endeavoring to penetrate 

 the_ mysteries of nature in the spirit of 

 their teacher." 



Of his untiring labors another spoke 

 as follows : 



"Yet he did not acquire his fame sole- 

 ly on account of his innate ability. Pa- 

 tient industry explains much of liis suc- 

 cess. He would go to his laboratory 

 early in the morning and until recent 

 years on account of wretched and in- 

 adequate quarters would repeat his in- 

 spiring lectures to three successive 

 classes of freshmen, since there was no 

 class room large enough to hold them 

 all. Some of you have talked. I am 

 told, nearly three hours in the legislature 

 and found it a fearful strain. Try to 

 talk three hours in succession to fresh- 

 men day in and day out and you will find 

 the strain still greater. After this labor 

 he would work with his advanced stu- 

 dents and finally long into the night he 

 would be studying some problem" along 

 the line of higher scholarship. Thus his 

 hours and days were filled ; happy, use- 

 ful, contented ; teaching much, investi- 

 gating much ; and yet he found time for 

 other things. 



The editor of this magazine was for- 

 tunate in having an acquaintance with 

 him both personal and by correspon- 

 dence that extended over almost a quar- 

 ter of a century and from him received 

 always cordial friendship and encour- 

 agement. He aided The Agassiz Asso- 

 ciation by bis pen, bis pocketbook and 

 his kindly counsels. YVe sincerely mourn 

 his loss. It is a loss to every student 

 and lover of nature. 



