hope you will study the form of these on various classes of 2"7 

 insects, and then that you will get a book and practice writing 

 up carefully, in your best style, theses on every insect or bird 

 you observe. Write as if nobody else had written and be sure 

 to be original > i.e. that the presentation of your facts be as 

 from yourself. Of course you will get your knowledge from 

 others & yet I would practice original investigation. Study 

 first for yourself & write it out & then compare with what 

 others have found. The habit of original investigation is of 

 infinite value. 



Uninfluenced as he was throughout life by the boards, com- 

 mittees, and organizations slowly supplanting the power, judg- 

 ment and decision of the individual in higher education, he 

 continued : 



I was talking with Judge Hibbard [Hon Homer N Hibbard, 

 LL D and president of the Chicago tract society according 

 to that association's letterhead] a few days since and asked 

 him if he could not aid you in connection with the University 

 of Chicago. He is on its Board, I believe. He would gladly do 

 all he could and he thought that if you showed any special 

 talent for natural science, biology, zoology, etc., he could get 

 you a fellowship. This would give you a chance to pursue some 

 special line of study under the best instructors, and would 

 pave the way to a professorship. If you want to study medi- 

 cine, that would be the best sort of preparation — indeed it 

 would be possible to carry on most of your studies in medicine 

 at the same time. Keep this to yourself & let me know what 

 you think of it. To get it, you must study to write out your 

 views on all the subjects you study. This ought to be required 

 in college if it is not. — I will send you ten dollars soon. Let me 

 know how you stand & what you will need to put you through 

 to Easter. 



As commencement days neared, the father wrote again: 



Only six weeks and you will be out . . . When you leave col- 

 lege the struggle begins, only to end with life itself. I received 

 a telegram yesterday announcing the decision of the Board of 

 Missions. It is "not to reappoint" ... I have an agreement 

 with the Tract Society by which I remain here for at least one 



