DUTIES AS A COLLEGE PROFESSOR 



and Pittsburg. A note was made that on the I2th of 

 January he crossed the Ohio River, with the thermometer 

 at 12 F. From the enthusiastic reports of his lecture 

 upon " Corals " in Utica, his native place, it is obvious 

 that he held the audience in delighted attention. *' No 

 scientific lecturer ever spoke more directly than he to the 

 popular appreciation and instruction. To lively and 

 picturesque language he adds an earnest, distinct, and 

 pleasant delivery. " Not far from thirty years had passed 

 since the Utica schoolboy was collecting rocks and min- 

 erals, and now he came " home " with wide experience, 

 high station, and national renown, to address his towns- 

 men on one of the most fascinating branches of geological 

 investigation. 



During the early years of his professorship the measures 

 were adopted which transformed the rudimentary Scien- 

 tific School of Yale College into that great institution 

 which bears the name of its chief benefactor, and is widely 

 known as the Sheffield Scientific School. In the plans 

 for its expansion Dana took an active and influential part. 

 He inquired into the work of kindred institutions in 

 Europe, as they were described to him by those who had 

 lately returned from studies abroad, and he advocated 

 the adoption of some of their methods. He urged the 

 securing of an endowment, and he pointed out the uses 

 that could be made of funds which should be supple- 

 mentary and auxiliary to those already held by Yale Col- 

 lege. He was not a regular teacher in the new department, 

 and he rarely attended the meetings of its governing 

 board, but he took the deepest interest in its advance- 

 ment, and could always be relied on for sympathy, coun- 

 sel, and influence. There is no doubt that the early 

 distinction of this school is due in a degree to Dana and 

 Whitney, whose names were a guarantee the world over 

 that the methods here adopted were wise and commend- 

 able ; while the burdens of management and instruction 



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