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A Memoir of Donaldson Bodine. 



H. W. Anderson 



To those of us who knew Professor Donaldson Bodine the news last 

 August of his sudden death was a terrible shock. We knew him as a man 

 of great activity and rugged constitution, one who never seemed to be 

 troubled with physical weakness. His taking was so sudden that the shock 

 seemed all the greater, yet those who knew him best realized that it was as he 

 wished, for he had often expressed a desire to have life end suddenly, without 

 pain, prolonged illness, or weakening of mental faculties. So aU was well 

 with him. 



Donaldson Bodine was born in Richboro, Pennsylvania on December 13, 

 1866. His father, a Presbyterian minister, died at an early age, leaving 

 the young son to support his widowed mother and a sister. After graduat- 

 ing from a preparatory academy, he entered Cornell University and received 

 his A. B. degree from this institution in 1887. For several years following 

 graduation he was principal of the Academy at Gouverneur, New York. 

 Returning to Cornell on a Fellowship he secured a Doctor of Science degree 

 in the spring of 1895. His major was in the subject of Entomology, his 

 first minor in Zoology and second minor in Botany. His thesis, presented 

 in the spring of 1895, was entitled, "The Taxanomic Value of the Antennae 

 of Lepidoptera". ' 



Professor Bodine came to Wabash in the fall of 1895 to fill the chair of 

 Zoology and Geology which was established at that time. This chair he 

 occupied during the remainder of his life. Thus he had given, at the time 

 of his death, twenty years of loyal and efficient service to this Institution. 



As a student of Professor Bodine's I can speak with some authority 

 when I say he was a wonderfully inspiring teacher. He had a very clear 

 and interesting manner of presenting his subject and this, combined with an 

 unusually pleasant voice, made the presentation of his lectures all that could 

 be desired. It was a real pleasure to listen to him. The students were 

 always loyal to him and they were especially impressed with his perfect 

 fairness. He did not make his subject difficult but he expected his students 

 to make an earnest effort to get that which was presented. 



