SEMI-CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION 77 



never bed-fellows. It is not too much to say that there was not 

 a lazy hair in the capillary envelope of our beloved professor of 

 agriculture. When he commenced to teach us entomology, 

 there were no suitable textbooks, but what cared he ? Like 

 Agassiz, whom he so much admired, he taught us to study the 

 things of nature and not what others had said of them. His 

 enthusiasm kindled a quick flame in the minds of his students; 

 and how he loved to dig out the hidden truths of agriculture ; and 

 what a superb course he built up in that branch ! Next to Dr. 

 Abbot, and I am sure that Dr. Miles would wish me to make 

 this exception, were he with us today, he did more than any 

 other of that early staff, to direct this College rightly. It was 

 a sorry day for this institution, when the governor demanded 

 his resignation. If "dirt is matter out of place," then a short 

 word describes that governor. What Agassiz was to natural 

 science development and teaching in this country, so was Dr. 

 Miles to the development of agriculture and agricultural instruc- 

 tion. Dr. Miles's versatiHty was surprising. He had rare 

 genius in all lines of mechanical invention, and his readiness of 

 resource added to his power over his students. This College, 

 and agricultural education as weU, must never forget how 

 much that is best in their fabric came from the hard work and 

 rare genius of Dr. Manly Miles. 



DR. GEORGE THURBER 



Dr. Thurber was very much Uke Dr. Miles in many ways. 

 He was here but two or three years, and yet his hard work and 

 marked abihty in the science which he loved so well, and his 

 vivacious enthusiasm made him a great favorite among all the 

 students. The exceeding pleasure that came to me in the 

 multitudinous walks with Dr. Thurber, and the love of natural 

 science that came as he opened the great book of Nature in his 

 marvelous fashion, awaked in me a loving appreciation that 

 has deepened with the years. Dr. Thurber's government work 



