Dr. William Anderson Syme, son of the late 

 Mr. Andrew Syme and Mrs. Annie Bryan Syme, 

 was horn July 11, 1879, in Raleigh, N. C. 



He was prepared for college at the Raleigh Male 

 Academy, taking high honors in his classes, and en- 

 tered the sophomore class of the A. and M. College 

 in the fall of 1896, graduating in 1899 with the de- 

 gree of B. S. In the fall of 1903 he entered Johns 

 HopMns University, and three years thereafter had 

 the degree of Doctor of Philosophy conferred upon 

 him by that institution — the highest honor within its 

 gift. Before completing his course at the Johns Hop- 

 kins University he was elected Assistant Professor of 

 Chemistry in the A. and M. College and Assistant 

 Chemist to the Experiment Station, which position 

 he filled luith eminent success. 



A year ago Dr. Syme was elected President of the 

 North Carolina Section of the American Chemical 

 Society — a high testimonial of the esteem of his pro- 

 fessional associates. He was the author of several 

 treatises, the most conspicuous among them being his 

 dissertation on ''Some Constituents of the Poison 

 Ivy" and "The Colorimetric Determination of Ni- 

 trates in Soil Solutions Containing Organic Matter." 



Upon the organization of the Division of Oil In- 

 spection by the N. C. Agricultural Department he 

 ivas appointed State Oil Chemist in May, 1909, and 

 filled that position until his death on December 15, 

 1909. 



He was efficient and painstaking in his duties, and 

 if spared ivould have reached a high position in his 

 profession. 



