﻿592 
  ANNUAL 
  KEPOET 
  SMITHSONIAN 
  INSTITUTION, 
  19 
  2 
  9 
  

  

  directed 
  almost 
  at 
  right 
  angles 
  (67K°) 
  to 
  the 
  actual 
  direction 
  of 
  rota- 
  

   tion 
  of 
  the 
  earth. 
  Here 
  was 
  a 
  dynamic 
  contradiction 
  of 
  crucial 
  

   significance, 
  but, 
  as 
  Chamberlin 
  said: 
  "There 
  was 
  nothing 
  to 
  do 
  but 
  

   to 
  go 
  right 
  at 
  it." 
  A 
  shift 
  of 
  the 
  axis 
  of 
  rotation 
  was 
  indicated. 
  To 
  a 
  

   mind 
  seeking 
  catastrophic 
  effects 
  some 
  violent 
  accident 
  might 
  have 
  

   been 
  suggested, 
  but 
  neither 
  the 
  experience 
  of 
  the 
  student 
  nor 
  the 
  

   mechanics 
  of 
  the 
  planetary 
  system 
  was 
  consistent 
  with 
  such 
  an 
  assump- 
  

   tion. 
  The 
  rotation 
  of 
  the 
  earth 
  had 
  long 
  been 
  attributed 
  to 
  innumera- 
  

   ble 
  minute 
  impulses. 
  Similar 
  minute 
  but 
  unsymmetrical 
  impulses 
  

   due 
  to 
  the 
  infalling 
  planetesimals, 
  and 
  the 
  eccentricity 
  of 
  density 
  

   which 
  is 
  apparent 
  in 
  the 
  full-grown 
  earth 
  might 
  have 
  caused 
  a 
  creep- 
  

   ing 
  of 
  the 
  axis 
  of 
  rotation 
  during 
  the 
  growth 
  of 
  the 
  globe. 
  The 
  sugges- 
  

   tion 
  was 
  put 
  to 
  the 
  test 
  of 
  mathematical 
  study 
  and 
  found 
  sound. 
  

   Thus 
  the 
  lion 
  was 
  overcome. 
  

  

  This 
  illustrates 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  lessons 
  to 
  be 
  learned 
  from 
  Chamberlin 
  's 
  

   researches; 
  namely, 
  the 
  value 
  attaching 
  to 
  small 
  effects 
  recurring 
  per- 
  

   sistently 
  during 
  the 
  ages. 
  His 
  capacity 
  to 
  detect 
  causes 
  of 
  this 
  nature 
  

   grew 
  out 
  of 
  the 
  constant 
  effort 
  to 
  keep 
  in 
  touch 
  with 
  the 
  reaUties, 
  all 
  

   the 
  realities. 
  

  

  Chamberlin's 
  great 
  contributions 
  to 
  science 
  relate 
  to 
  the 
  two 
  ex- 
  

   treme 
  stages 
  of 
  the 
  evolution 
  of 
  the 
  earth 
  : 
  The 
  formation 
  of 
  the 
  planet 
  

   and 
  the 
  subsequent 
  history 
  of 
  its 
  atmosphere. 
  His 
  research 
  also 
  

   traversed 
  all 
  intermediate 
  phases 
  of 
  terrestrial 
  history, 
  and 
  he 
  cast 
  a 
  

   long 
  look 
  ahead. 
  He 
  hopefully 
  forecast 
  the 
  evolution 
  of 
  man 
  to 
  higher 
  

   and 
  higher 
  possibilities, 
  without 
  limitation 
  of 
  time 
  or 
  intellectual 
  

   development. 
  He 
  himself 
  set 
  the 
  example, 
  advancing 
  far 
  — 
  and 
  

   beckoning. 
  

  

  The 
  following 
  is 
  a 
  summary 
  of 
  important 
  events 
  in 
  connection 
  with 
  

   Professor 
  Chamberlin's 
  career 
  : 
  

  

  Place 
  and 
  date 
  of 
  birth: 
  Mattoon, 
  111., 
  September 
  25, 
  1843. 
  

  

  Occupation: 
  Professor 
  (Emeritus) 
  of 
  Geology, 
  University 
  of 
  Chicago. 
  Re- 
  

   search 
  Associate, 
  Carnegie 
  Institution 
  of 
  Washington. 
  

  

  Education 
  and 
  degrees: 
  A. 
  B., 
  Beloit 
  College, 
  1866, 
  A. 
  M., 
  1869; 
  graduate, 
  

   science, 
  University 
  of 
  Michigan, 
  1868-69; 
  Ph. 
  D., 
  University 
  of 
  Michigan 
  and 
  

   Wisconsin, 
  1882; 
  LL. 
  D., 
  University 
  of 
  Michigan, 
  Beloit 
  College, 
  and 
  Columbian 
  

   University, 
  1887, 
  University 
  of 
  Wisconsin, 
  1904, 
  Toronto 
  University, 
  1913; 
  

   Sc. 
  D., 
  University 
  of 
  Illinois, 
  1905, 
  University 
  of 
  Wisconsin, 
  1920. 
  

  

  Marriage 
  and 
  children: 
  Married 
  Alma 
  Isabel 
  Wilson, 
  1867 
  (deceased). 
  One 
  

   son, 
  Rollin 
  Thomas 
  Chamberlin. 
  

  

  Chief 
  Publications: 
  Geology 
  of 
  Wisconsin; 
  Treatise 
  on 
  Geology 
  (with 
  R. 
  D. 
  

   Salisbury), 
  1906; 
  The 
  Origin 
  of 
  the 
  Earth, 
  1916. 
  Numerous 
  scientific 
  and 
  educa- 
  

   tional 
  articles. 
  Editor 
  of 
  the 
  Journal 
  of 
  Geology. 
  

  

  Public 
  offices, 
  commissions, 
  or 
  positions 
  of 
  honor 
  or 
  trust: 
  

  

  On 
  Wisconsin 
  Geological 
  Survey, 
  1873-1882, 
  first 
  assistant, 
  later 
  director. 
  

  

  Special 
  commission 
  to 
  study 
  the 
  state 
  of 
  scientific 
  education 
  in 
  China, 
  1908-9. 
  

  

  Trustee, 
  Beloit 
  College. 
  

  

  Commissioner, 
  Illinois 
  Geological 
  Survey, 
  until 
  1919. 
  

  

  Consulting 
  geologist. 
  United 
  States 
  Geological 
  Survey, 
  1908. 
  

  

  