December 2, 1921] 



SCIENCE 



543 



posed no limitation regarding tie field of sciencei 

 in which an award may be made. Since, however, 

 this fund, in its original inception was organized 

 during Professor Henry's life time for the purpose 

 of enabling him the better to carry on his scien- 

 tific work, and since it now stands, in some measure, 

 as a monument to his name and to his contribu- 

 tions to science, it would seem not improper that 

 among projects of equal merit otherwise, some 

 preference should be shown to those which may lie 

 nearer to the fields of work with which Professor 

 Henry 's name is usually associated. The commit- 

 tee does not, however, desire to impose in advance 

 any specific limitations or restrictions, and it will 

 therefore be prepared to consider applications from 

 all fields of natural science. 



It is probable that a certain amount of 

 money may be avaliable for award at the 

 meeting in April next. Applications for 

 award should be forwarded to the Secretary 

 of the National Academy of Sciences, Smith- 

 sonian Institution, Washington, D. C, on or 

 before April 5, 1922. 



Suggestions regarding the general problem 

 of the most effective utilization of such a 

 fund will be gratefully received by the chair- 

 man of the committee. 



W. F. DURAND, 



Chairman, Joseiph Henry 



Fund Committee 

 Stanford TjNrvERSirr, 

 Calieornia 



dr. nichols and the presidency of the 

 massachusetts institute of 



TECHNOLOGY 



Dr. Ernest Fox Nichols, president of the 

 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has 

 resigned his office because of ill health and 

 his resignation has been accepted by the ex- 

 ecutive committee of the corporation. He 

 has been given leave of absence until Janu- 

 ary 4, 1922, when the next me-eting of the 

 corporation will be held and the action of 

 the executive committee will be ratified. Dr. 

 Nichols was inaugurated president of the in- 

 stitute on June 8, 1921, but has not assumed 

 the office. 



Dr. Nichols's letter to the corporation fol- 

 lows: 



A sufiieient time has now elapsed since the onset 



of a severe illness, which followed immediately 

 upon my inauguration, to enable my physicians to 

 estimate consequences. They assure me certain 

 physical limitations, some of them probably per- 

 manent, have resulted. These, they agree, make it 

 decidedly inadvisable for the institute or for me 

 that I should attempt to discharge the manifold 

 duties of president. Indeed, they hold it would be 

 especially unwise for me to assume the grave re- 

 sponsibilities, to attempt to withstand the inevitable 

 stresses and strains of ofi&oe, or to take on that 

 share in the open discussion of matters of public 

 interest and concern inseparable from the broader 

 activities of educational leadership. 



As my recuperation is still in progress I have 

 contended earnestly with my doctors for a lighter 

 judgment. I feel more than willing to take a per- 

 sonal risk, but they know better than I, and they 

 stand firm in their conclusions. 



The success of the institute is of such profound 

 importance to our national welfare, to the advance- 

 ment of science and the useful arts, that no in- 

 sufficient or inadequate leadership is suiferable. 

 Personal hopes and wishes must stand aside. 



It is therefore with deep personal regret but 

 with the conviction that it is best for all concerned, 

 that I tender you my resignation of the presidency 

 of the institute and urge you to accept it without 

 hesitation. 



To you who have shown me such staunch and 

 generous friendship it is pleasant to add that in 

 the judgment of my physicians the physical dis- 

 qualifications for the exigencies of educational ad- 

 ministration are such as need not restrict my activi- 

 ties in the simpler untroubled, methodical life of 

 scientific investigation to which I was bred. It is 

 to the research laboratory, therefore, that I ask 

 your leave to return. 



In reply Frederick P. Fish, chairman of 

 the executive committee of the corporation, 

 wrote as follows: 



Your letter of November 3, 1921, to the Corpora- 

 tion of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

 was submitted to the executive committee of the 

 institute at a meeting of the committee on Novem- 

 ber 10, 1921. 



The situation set out in your letter is clearly 

 controlling and the committee had no alternative 

 except to accept your resignation, subject to con- 

 firmation by the corporation. As appears by the 

 vote of the committee, copy of which I enclose, 

 your resignation is to take effect January 4, 1922, 

 with leave of absence until that date. 



