﻿THOMAS 
  CHROWDER 
  CHAMBERLIN 
  (1843-1928) 
  ' 
  

  

  Bt 
  Bailey 
  Willis 
  

  

  [With 
  1 
  plate] 
  

  

  Aristotle, 
  322 
  B. 
  C; 
  Copernicus, 
  1543 
  A. 
  D.; 
  Galileo, 
  1642; 
  Newton, 
  1727; 
  

   Laplace, 
  1827; 
  Darwin, 
  1882; 
  Chamberlin, 
  1928. 
  

  

  The 
  names 
  of 
  great 
  original 
  thinkers 
  are 
  milestones 
  along 
  the 
  path 
  

   of 
  exploration 
  that 
  penetrates 
  the 
  domain 
  of 
  the 
  unknown. 
  Cham- 
  

   berlin's 
  is 
  the 
  latest. 
  He 
  has 
  led 
  into 
  new 
  realms 
  where 
  for 
  a 
  while 
  

   others 
  will 
  survey 
  and 
  establish 
  monuments, 
  but 
  whence 
  also 
  another, 
  

   some 
  great 
  follower 
  of 
  his 
  example, 
  will 
  again 
  strike 
  out 
  in 
  search 
  of 
  

   knowledge. 
  

  

  He 
  was 
  a 
  great 
  master 
  of 
  research. 
  Few 
  among 
  living 
  investigators 
  

   have 
  demonstrated 
  equal 
  capacity 
  for 
  inquiry. 
  Very 
  few 
  indeed 
  have 
  

   sustained 
  equal 
  flights 
  of 
  constructive 
  imagination 
  yet 
  kept 
  in 
  touch 
  

   with 
  the 
  realities. 
  None, 
  in 
  preparing 
  for 
  such 
  flights, 
  has 
  more 
  

   thoroughly 
  utilized 
  the 
  resources 
  of 
  advancing 
  science 
  or 
  more 
  rigor- 
  

   ously 
  tested 
  the 
  records 
  of 
  altitudes 
  attained. 
  

  

  Chamberlin 
  fortunately 
  lived 
  during 
  an 
  epoch 
  when 
  the 
  sciences 
  

   were 
  growing 
  vigorously. 
  He 
  kept 
  abreast 
  of 
  them. 
  He 
  was 
  no 
  fol- 
  

   lower. 
  Neither 
  was 
  he 
  an 
  egotistical 
  leader. 
  Cooperating 
  closely 
  with 
  

   competent 
  companions, 
  he 
  advanced 
  always 
  with 
  strong 
  support. 
  In 
  

   the 
  group 
  of 
  coworkers 
  his 
  was 
  the 
  mind 
  that 
  conceived 
  the 
  campaign 
  

   against 
  misconceptions. 
  His 
  also 
  was 
  the 
  ingenuity 
  which 
  suggested 
  

   critical 
  tests 
  of 
  every 
  new 
  concept. 
  That 
  leadership 
  was 
  his 
  because 
  

   of 
  his 
  superior 
  capacities: 
  Initiative, 
  independence, 
  and 
  insight. 
  Yet 
  

   the 
  least 
  experienced 
  of 
  his 
  company 
  received 
  considerate 
  attention 
  

   and 
  generous 
  appreciation 
  for 
  any 
  valid 
  contribution. 
  

  

  Born 
  at 
  Mattoon, 
  111., 
  September 
  25, 
  1843, 
  Thomas 
  Chrowder 
  

   Chamberlin 
  was 
  85 
  at 
  his 
  death, 
  at 
  Chicago, 
  November 
  15, 
  1928. 
  He 
  

   was 
  of 
  large 
  build, 
  a 
  vigorous, 
  genial, 
  generous 
  personality. 
  

  

  From 
  his 
  father, 
  who 
  practiced 
  farming 
  during 
  six 
  days 
  and 
  preached 
  

   biblical 
  philosophy 
  every 
  seventh 
  day, 
  Thomas 
  appears 
  to 
  have 
  in- 
  

  

  ' 
  Reprinted 
  by 
  permission 
  from 
  Bulletin 
  of 
  the 
  Geological 
  Society 
  of 
  America, 
  vol. 
  40, 
  No. 
  1, 
  March, 
  1929 
  

   Bibhography 
  omitted. 
  

  

  585 
  

  

  