92 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ALBANY MEETING 



he held in as high esteem as the many that came to him in later years. 

 At this time teaching is still in his mincl, for he writes, with reference to 

 classical and scientific courses as means of mental discipline, 



"a wooden man can make a course in Greek give discipline, but it requires a 

 born teacher to do the same with an experimental science. . . . But when 

 it comes to a matter that will make him keep his head about him, I will put 

 up a benzine molecule against all comers." 



In 1886 the university again honored Hayes by awarding him a fellow- 

 ship in chemistry. Geology was then an essential part of his course. In 

 June of that year he writes to his sister : 



"I have a scheme for the summer by which I can get some work on my minor 

 geology. . . . It is to work up that glacial drainage problem at Hanover 

 [Ohio]." 



This was apparently the first problem in physiography that attracted 

 him. True to his instinct and training for exact observations, he con- 

 tinues : 



"If we borrow a theodolite ... to locate some contours, it would be a 

 fine piece of work." 



The next fall he is intrusted by Doctor Williams with the charge of a 

 Field Club excursion. Pie puts the students to constructing map and 

 profile, to which he refers as follows : 



"Being responsible for the correctness of a profile adds vastly in interest 

 and benefit to such work. After a certain amount of experience is gained, it 

 is better to strike out alone than to follow at the heels of authority." 



Hayes had now (1886) become a member of the inner circle of geologic 

 students. Of this period he writes : 



"Five of us meet there [at Doctor Williams's home] every week and read 

 tor a couple of hours and then spend an hour in a social way, with light re- 

 freshments. . . . We are reading Lyell's Principles, with side issues that 

 come up incidentally. ... I have just finished Allen's Darwin. . . . and 

 now I am emulating you in reading Spencer's 'First Principles.' What a satis- 

 faction to get to the bottom of something." 



Again, in a later letter : 



"I ought to feel particularly happy tonight, for today I got the reaction 

 toward which I have been working for nearly a year. When I saw my new 

 compound, 'sulphofluorescein,' coming down in beautiful, lustrous, golden-yel- 

 low crystals, I wanted to jump up and shout. However, as I am a long way 

 from being out of the woods, I refrained." 



