WILLIAM KEITH BROOKS 453 



His son being born in 1879, an< ^ his daughter in 1881, Professor 

 Brooks' great pride in and love for his children and his devotion to 

 his wife were well-known and potent elements in the life of most 

 of his students who in the evening readings at Professor Brooks' 

 house were taken so generously into its elevating influence. 



A review of the names of the sixty men who came together at 

 the end of 1908 to do honor to the memory of their late master 

 would show that no small part of the work of Professor William 

 Keith Brooks had been to train and influence many of the leaders 

 in zoology. As Dr. A. G. Mayer has well said, "The spirit of his 

 simple faith in research he has passed on to those whose lives were 

 enriched by knowing him and who now follow where he led in the 

 study of Science." 



His influence over his pupils was peculiar they recognized 

 him as a leader in ideals while fully aware of his faults. One 

 writes: "No man ever worked in a more single-minded and lofty 

 spirit." Another says: "Like all great teachers he knew that the 

 primary purpose of teaching is inspiration and illumination and 

 that information is only of secondary importance." A third has 

 pictured his influence as follows: "But Brooks' particular influence 

 was due chiefly, I imagine, to the fact that all of us recognized in 

 him a certain independence and profundity of thought. He was 

 interested in the large problems of Biology. Concerning these 

 problems he thought continually and deeply and along lines of his 

 own. Those who were brought into close association with him, 

 as students, appreciated this fact and at once accepted him as an 

 intellectual guide and master. Matters of laboratory technique 

 they might have to acquire from other sources, but from him they 

 obtained the stimulus to real thinking." 



Many of us might subscribe to the statement of one that "there 

 are few men to whom I feel so much beholden," and very many are 

 voiced in the words of another: "I owe Dr. Brooks a large debt of 

 gratitude for what he did for me. I have often wondered why he 

 let me do some of the things I did without any protest. Maybe 

 he felt that sense would come after a while." 



His contact with his pupils was not only in the laboratory and 



