696 THOMAS CHROWDER CHAMBERLIN 
predisposed to magnify the former. He placed a distinctly broad 
interpretation on the functions of the university. He thought it 
not only the privilege but the duty of the university to give the 
state leadership even in lines regarded by some others as at least 
debatable While this view did not go so far as to include the 
precise matters that divided the organized political parties, it yet 
did embrace matters closely akin to these, matters felt by some 
others to fall within the outer borders of party policy. The more 
conservative policy of leaving a clear margin of safety between 
the conceded fields of scientific inquiry in such matters, on the one 
hand—in which all right-minded citizens should concur—and the 
fields of party conflict, on the other, seemed to him to fall short 
of the full duty of the university to the state. As a natural result 
of his vigorous advocacy of some policies held by others as debat- 
able, friction of the milder sort arose at times and made the path 
of his administration less smooth than it might have been under 
the more conservative policy, but this never went so far as to loosen 
the great hold of the institution or of its president on the affections 
and pride of the people of the state. His administration of the 
university was a declared success; both he and the university under 
his care exercised a profound influence on the intellectual and 
material progress of the state. 
From May 29, 1857, to November 19, 1918, was the span of a 
remarkably fruitful career. It was, we grieve to note, two decades 
short of the full period of fruitfulness we had ground to hope for, 
but the vigor and intensity of the work, its solid nature, and its 
effective usefulness made good, in some large degree at least, the 
shortage in time. President Van Hise’s contribution to the world 
has been very large and very rich. 
His home life was singularly happy, though shadowed in his last 
years by the death of a beloved daughter. He leaves a devoted 
wife and two affectionate daughters. His personal qualities were 
of the highest order. He was a congenial companion in the office, 
the laboratory, and the field. His point of view was large and 
liberal, always incisive, often humorous. His convictions were 
strong, and the courage of his convictions never seemed to fail him. 
was outspoken and manly in bearing, frank and strong in his © 
