472 . PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY. 



nately and later simultaneously, studied and taught until he had 

 mastered his chosen profession of teacher and investigator in psychol- 

 ogy and had achieved academic position of eminence, influence and 

 rare opportunity for service. His appointment as Carnegie research 

 assistant in psychology gave him an excellent chance to demonstrate 

 his originality, resourcefulness and enthusiasm for research. The 

 result of the year's work was a report on " The color sensitivity of the 

 peripheral retina," which stands as his most important publication, 

 for subsequently he gave himself increasingly to his advanced students 

 and his research was conducted largely by and through them. 



During nine years of fruitful service to Clark University, John 

 Wallace Baird achieved immortality by training many able students 

 for psychological research. With a genius for friendship he pursued 

 his path of duty and opportunity single mindedly, whole heartedly 

 and with entire forgetfulness of self. Honors he never sought; praise 

 he shrank from. His students learned to respect, admire and love 

 him because of his devotion to their interests and the obvious sincerity 

 of his belief in constructive work in teaching and research. 



In April, 1917, despite physical unfitness for the strain of work in 

 Washington, Baird undertook to assist in directing the work of the 

 committee for psychology of the National Research Council. In 

 December he was compelled to go to the Johns Hopkins Hospital for 

 treatment of a recurring malady and there, on February 2, 1919, in his 

 fiftieth year, his life ended. 



The career of our lamented colleague is a consistent lesson in un- 

 selfish and loyal devotion to family, friends, country and human wel- 

 fare. His life clearly was sacrificed to duty, for his fatal illness with 

 its frequent and long continued periods of acute pain resulted from a 

 terrible ordeal of strength in which he saved others from a watery 

 grave. The sort of sacrifice which he willingly made at a time of 

 exceptional anxiety and risk, he continued to make throughout his 

 life, defying bodily suffering and manfully doing his full duty until the 

 end. 



John Wallace Baird's life of generous service has received fitting 

 tribute of respect and affection in a memorial volume bearing his name 

 published by Clark University. 



Robert M. Yerkes. 



