12 



Thereupon the presentation of papers was taken up. A. R. 

 Crooik read a paper as follows : 



DR. AMOS WILLARD FRENCH: IN MEMORIAM. 



As far as the writer is aware Dr. French of Springfield is 

 the first member of the Academy to be removed from our num- 

 ber by death. Many may remember him as the gentleman with 

 white hair and beard, evidently the veteran among those present 

 at the organization meeting of the Academy in Springfield, 

 December 1907, who spoke of the value of scientific work and 

 expressed the hope that the x\cademy might be a means of in- 

 creasing the influence of science in the State. 



At the time of his death he was nearly eighty-eight years of 

 age, was the oldest alumnus of Washington University, St. 

 Louis, and the oldest practicing dentist in the United States. 

 Many residents of Springfield had never employed any other 

 dentist. 



To me he was an interesting personality especially because 

 of youthful interest in things, in men and in ideas. Intellectu- 

 ally he was emancipated from many of the bonds which restrain 

 thought and discourage mental progress and hence he retained 

 a receptive and creative attitude of mind which was intellectually 

 life giving. From early times he was interested in many things 

 outside of his profession. Among his particular friends were 

 A. H. Worthen, who, as State Geologist or Curator of the State 

 Museum for thirty years, left his impress on the geology of the 

 region; and Major J. W. Powell, first widely known for his 

 exploration of the Colorado River, and later as the Director 

 of the U. S. Geological Survey. With such friendships, bVench 

 naturally was greatly interested in geology, and gave much time 

 to its study, collecting a fine geological library and 

 bringing together an extensive assemblage of minerals and 

 rocks. Thought on geological subjects and discussions of re- 

 lated questions gave him great pleasure and, as is often the 

 case, the result of such first-hand information and contact with 

 actual facts enabled him to free his mind of many of the 



