OF DENISON UNlVEKSriY I3 



field of operation. The child is father to the man, and these traits 

 which marked his life as a student became important characteristics of 

 his work in teaching. The enforced dependence upon himself for 

 means to demonstrate what he would not accept without demonstra- 

 tion, was valuable training for his future work." [The compiler of 

 this article well remembers, as a student under Professor Osbun, the 

 habit of insisting upon actual demonstration to which Dr. Davies here 

 calls attention. It often seemed irksome to be required to perform a 

 series of experiments in the laboratory in order to demonstrate to the 

 eye some principle which presented no difficulty whatever to the 

 mind, and had perhaps been understood and accepted as almost self- 

 evident long before ; but it is easy to see now that this was done not pri- 

 marily for the sake of the particular point involved in the experiment 

 but to establ sh the experimental habit more firmly in the character of 

 his pupils.] 



" During his college course, Mr. Osbun was a faithful student, 

 leading his class in all studies that were congenial to him. He was an 

 earnest and active member of his literary society, especially liking, 

 and excelling in, debate * >^ ■-> Of Professor Osbun's life and 

 work since he returned to us, a little more than a year ago, much might 

 but little need be said. They speak for themselves. Not only do his 

 associate teachers and the students mourn his loss, but his death 

 touched a chord which vibrated through the whole community. Meas- 

 ured by years, his life was short. At thirty-four, we look upon a man's 

 life as only fairly begun. Measured by what he accomplished, a man 

 of three score would have no cause to blush. His life was one of un- 

 ceasing activity. To be idle was to him simply impossible. During 

 the vacation following his Junior year, in a country school house a few 

 miles from Granville, he delivered his first scientific lecture, illustrated 

 by experiments of his own devising. It was the first of a long list. 

 When teaching at Salem he delivered as many as sixty lectures in one 

 year. These lectures embraced a great variety of subjects, and, while 

 some were delivered before popular audiences, many were before the 

 most cultivated and critical scientific associations. He delighted to 

 choose some simple subject and lecture on it before those destitute of 

 scientific training ; and the ability he displayed of clothing the bare 

 facts of science with so much interest that he fascinated as well as in- 

 structed even the most ignorant of his hearers, was signal proof of the 

 originality of his mind and thoroughness of his preparation. Even va- 



