l82 ROCHESTER ACADEHY OK SCIENCE. [June 24, 



Miss Beckwith spoke of the different exhibits, calling particular 

 attention to some of the more rare and interesting species of native 

 plants in the large collection. 



President Fairchild read for the author the following paper : 

 A MEMORIAL SKETCH OF CHESTER DEWEY, M.D., D.D. 



By Charles W. Seelye. 



The subject of this notice was born at Shefifield, Massachusetts, 

 in 1784. In 1806 he graduated at Williams College and then studied 

 for the ministry, and was licensed to preach in 1808. The same year 

 he accepted a tutorship in Williams College and in 18 10 was appointed 

 Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in the same institu- 

 tion, and held this office for seventeen years. 



During this time he discharged the duties of his position not only 

 acceptably but with great credit to himself, and promoted the stand- 

 ard of scholarship. From 1827 to 1836 he was at the head of the 

 Gymnasium at Pittsfield, a boys' high school. During this last 

 period, or a portion of it, he was also Professor of Chemistry in the 

 Medical College at Pittsfield, and at the same time held a similar pro- 

 fessorship in the Medical College at Woodstock, Vermont. 



In these years of active labor as an instructor he was devoting a 

 portion of his time to botanical work, and prepared a " History of the 

 Herbaceous Plants of Massachusetts," which was published by the 

 State. He was also examining and making notes on the Carices, 

 having commenced his " Caricography," his principal botanical writ- 

 ing, in 1824. In 1836 Dr. Dewey came to reside in Rochester as 

 principal of the Rochester Collegiate Institute. In this position he 

 displayed great ability, and organized and conducted the institution in 

 a manner which gave it a wide and honored reputation in educational 

 circles. 



His great range of knowledge, and his simple and beautiful life, 

 which appeared devoted to the welfare and uplifting of others, gained 

 him universal respect among his fellow citizens, and his genial and 

 sunny disposition endeared him to all who had intercourse with him. 

 His direct influence reached not only his school pupils but extended 

 to the whole community. By the request of citizens he frequently 

 gave courses of popular lectures in the winter seasons on the subjects 

 of Chemistry, Astronomy, Natural Philosophy and Geology and illus- 

 trated them with experiments, apparatus and charts. His role was 



