63 
A Memoir or DONALDSON BODINE. 
H. W. ANDERSON 
To those of us who knew Professor Donaldson Bodine the news last 
August of his sudden death was a terrible shock. We knew him as a man 
of great activity and rugged constitution, one who never seemed to be 
troubled with physical weakness. His taking was so sudden that the shock 
seemed all the greater, yet those who knew him best realized that it was as he 
wished, for he had often expressed a desire to have life end suddenly, without 
pain, prolonged illness, or weakening of mental faculties. So all was well 
with him. 
Donaldson Bodine was born in Richboro, Pennsylvania on December 13, 
1866. His father, a Presbyterian minister, died at an early age, leaving 
the young son to support his widowed mother and a sister. After graduat- 
ing from a preparatory academy, he entered Cornell University and received 
his A. B. degree from this institution in 1887. For several years following 
graduation he was principal of the Academy at Gouverneur, New York. 
Returning to Cornell on a Fellowship he secured a Doctor of Science degree 
in the spring of 1895. His major was in the subject of Entomology, his 
first minor in Zoology and second minor in Botany. His thesis, presented 
in the spring of 1895, was entitled, ‘“‘The Taxanomic Value of the Antennae 
of Lepidoptera”’. 
Professor Bodine came to Wabash in the fall of 1895 to fill the chair of 
Zoology and Geology which was established at that time. This chair he 
occupied during the remainder of his life. Thus he had given, at the time 
of his death, twenty years of loyal and efficient service to this Institution. 
As a student of Professor Bodine’s I can speak with some authority 
when I say he was a wonderfully mspiring teacher. He had a very clear 
and interesting manner of presenting his subject and this, combined with an 
unusually pleasant voice, made the presentation of his lectures all that could 
be desired. It was a real pleasure to listen to him. The students were 
always loyal to him and they were especially impressed with his perfect 
fairness. He did not make his subject difficult but he expected his students 
to make an earnest effort to get that which was presented. 
