114 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



Newport. In 1828 he was appointed Professor of Natural 

 Philosophy and Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania 

 and soon afterwards joined the then newly-founded Franklin 

 Institute where he enjoyed association with the principal 

 engineers and artisans of Philadelphia. He engaged in original 

 researches and took a prominent part in the activities of the 

 Institute, and after a few years became the director of its scien- 

 tific investigations. One of his most important labors at that 

 time was an inquiry into the causes of the bursting of steam 

 boilers. It soon came to the attention of the Government which 

 made an appropriation for the expenses involved. " The con- 

 clusions arrived at were embodied in a series of propositions, 

 which, after a lapse of more than thirty years, have not been 

 superseded by any others of more practical value." (Henry.) At 

 this time Bache was also a member of the American Philosoph- 

 ical Society and in association with Espy, Hare, Frazer and 

 others spent much time and thought in investigations relating 

 to meteorology and terrestrial magnetism. To the latter subject 

 he continued to make contributions throughout his life. 



In 1836 Professor Bache was prevailed upon to undertake 

 the organization of Girard College for Orphans, then recently 

 established in Philadelphia. He spent two years in Europe in 

 its behalf, upon the study of the educational systems of France, 

 Prussia, Austria and other countries, and his report, which was 

 published in 1839, did "more, perhaps, to improve the theory 

 and art of education in this country than any other work ever 

 published." 



A delay having occurred in the opening of Girard College, 

 Bache undertook the reorganization of the public schools of 

 Philadelphia and caused them to be looked upon as a model 

 for the entire system of the United States. 



In 1842, finding that the affairs of Girard College remained 

 stationary, he returned to his professorship in the University of 

 Pennsylvania, but the following year, on the death of Hassler, 

 he was appointed Superintendent of the Coast Survey, for which 

 station his qualities and his training seemed especially to fit 



