AGASSIZ AND WILLIAM B. ROGERS 117 



and alert, prepared himself for his attack. When his turn came, 

 with an odd gesture by which he seemed to turn his eagle eyes 

 "hard aport," he would launch on a task of mingled criticism 

 and construction, in both of which he was most effective. While 

 it was on, the contrivers of the fracas would rejoice in the profit 

 of it ; it was always large. They were both game-cocks, so that 

 on a higher plane I had once again the pleasure of my boy- 

 hood in watching their evolutions. Much came to us from 

 these debates. 



It was well known even to Agassiz's students that Rogers 

 desired to have a place in Harvard College as professor of geo- 

 logy. He was admirably well fitted for this position, a man of 

 distinguished general ability, well informed in the science and 

 an admirable teacher. Agassiz was at once professor of zoology 

 and geology, though I believe that I was the only person who 

 ever took the degree in geology while he taught at Harvard, 

 and I had mainly to depend on outside help and fight hard for 

 my training. It was not indeed until, after graduating, I spent 

 two years in Europe and there had the help of half a dozen 

 able teachers that I felt fairly well grounded on the dynamic 

 side of the science; my training having been mainly biological. 

 Large-minded as my master was in most of his contacts with 

 men, he could not be persuaded to allow Rogers beside him. 

 Presuming, it may be, on our relations, which had become rather 

 those of man with man than pupil with teacher, I tried to de- 

 bate the proposition with him, only to find that it was not 

 debatable. It was a pity, for from this refusal to give him the 

 place in the School to which he was entitled by his quality and 

 station, Rogers was in a way compelled to turn his energy to 

 the creation of a rival institution, the Massachusetts Institute 

 of Technology, with the result that Boston supports two rival 

 schools in a field which has fair place for but one. 



