VIII THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



James Loudon. 



James Loudon, ex-President of the University of Toronto, was 

 born at Toronto in 184L He received his early education at the "Blue 

 Grammar School" and at Upper Canada College, and in 1862 he gradu- 

 ated from the University of Toronto as Gold Medallist in Mathematics. 



In 1864 he became a member of the staff of University College, 

 first being Classical Tutor and then Mathematical Tutor and Dean 

 of Residence. In 1872 he was elected as one of the graduate repre- 

 sentatives on the University Senate, and for twenty years continu- 

 ously represented the graduates on that body. 



In 1875 he became Professor of Mathematics and Physics in the 

 University of Toronto but in 1887 the Chair was divided and Professor 

 Loudon became the head of the Department of Physics. In 1892 

 on the death of Sir Daniel Wilson Professor Loudon was appointed 

 to the presidency of the University of Toronto and this position he 

 held until 1906, when failing health necessitated his resignation. 



Professor Loudon's contributions to Science, though not exten- 

 sive, are of a high order and consist of papers on Acoustics and on 

 Geometry with applications of geometrical methods to Co-ordinate 

 systems, Mechanics and Optics. He was never able to secure for 

 himself the leisure necessary for the advancement of scientific know- 

 ledge, but was continually constrained to apply practically the whole 

 of his time, energy, and thought, to the developrhent of the University. 



He early championed the project to introduce laboratory instruc- 

 tion in the Sciences into the University and this was finally achieved 

 in 1878. The organisation of what is now the Faculty of Applied 

 Science was carried out on the basis of a report which he drew up for 

 the Minister of Education, the late Mr. Adam Crookes. On his initia- 

 tive the Fellowship system was introduced and in 1885, on a resolution 

 which he carried in the Senate, the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy 

 for Research was instituted. 



Among the various schemes which he either directly initiated 

 or heartily supported during his occupancy of the Presidency were the 

 institution of the Faculties of Forestry and Pedagogy, and the erection 

 of the Library, the Chemical and Physical Laboratories, the Gym- 

 nasium, the Convocation Hall, and the Medical Building. The 

 University Press was established on his recommendation and the 

 movement which culminated in the organisation of the Faculty 

 Union, the Students' Union, and the Alumni Association was due to 

 his inspiration. 



He took a leading part in the practical working out of the federa- 

 tion scheme by which Victoria, and the Trinity Arts and Medical 



