10 PKOCEEDINGS OF THE PITTSBURGH MEETING 



Largely by the friendly assistance of Prof. A. E. Verrill he was en- 

 abled to spend a year and a half as a student in the Sheffield Scientific 

 School at New Haven, Connecticut, from which he was graduated Ph. B., 

 in 1867. While there he was a working student in Professor VerrilFs 

 laboratory. He had mineralogy with Prof. G. J. Brush, French and 

 German with Prof. W. D. Whitney, lectures in physical geography by 

 Prof. Daniel C. Gilman, and in geology by Profs. James D. Dana and 

 0. C. Marsh. His most intimate associates at this time were Sidney I. 

 Smith and William North Eice. 



He received the degree of A. M. from Wesleyan University in 1870. 



In addition to these preparatory studies and labors, he was further 

 qualified for giving instruction to the students of the Institute of Tech- 

 nology, which later became his life work, by his experience as a teacher 

 and lecturer. He taught in several private schools, and was thus asso- 

 ciated with the Gannett Institute for several years. Before leaving 

 Cambridge he had been appointed instructor and lecturer in natural 

 science at the State Teachers' Institutes of Massachusetts. His services 

 in this position were distributed through a period of ten years, during 

 which time he lectured in every portion of the state. In this way he had 

 become widely and popularly known as a lecturer upon geological and 

 geographical subjects. 



Under the advice and counsel of Prof. William B. Rogers, founder and 

 first president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he was ap- 

 pointed professor of physical geology and geography at that institute 

 in 1871. For eight years his instruction at the institute was given dur- 

 ing the second half of each year, thereby affording him the opportunity 

 of continuing his public lectures. 



Feeling that a personal acquaintance with various countries was essen- 

 tial to a teacher of physical geology and geography, he made journeys to 

 Europe, spending portions of three summers among the Alps. There he 

 visited and studied for himself those districts which had been made 

 famous by the studies of his former teacher. Professor Agassiz, and by 

 the investigations of others. His own observations while there led to the 

 publication of his papers, "Agency of glaciers in the excavation of val- 

 leys and lake-basins," "Eelative agency of the glacial and subglacial 

 streams in the erosion of valleys," and "Occurrence of zones of different 

 physical features upon the slopes of mountains." 



He twice visited Holland, that he might observe the peculiar relations 

 there existing between physical features, geological changes, and human 

 life. His observations in that country were very useful in his geograph- 

 ical teaching at the institute. His illustrated lectures on "Holland and 



