184 - Louis Valentine Pirsson. 



pleasure to quote this tribute, kindly prepared at the 

 writer's request, by the one best qualified to speak of these 

 activities. 



"Professor Pirsson possessed many traits of character 

 rarely combined in one individual. The charm of his 

 personality, his high ideals, his kindly manner, all helped 

 to endear him to his associates ; while his good judgment 

 and forceful convictions were always respected by those 

 with whom he worked. Endowed not only with clearness 

 and keenness of mind which rightfully belong to one 

 trained in the methods of science, he had benefited from 

 the special opportunities he had enjoyed as a student of 

 geology to cultivate habits of careful and discriminating 

 observation. Thus, he had learned early in life the wis- 

 dom of forming judgment only after careful consider- 

 ation of all the facts obtainable and with due regard to 

 relative values. As a result, he was a highly valued 

 member of the Governing Board of the Sheffield Scientific 

 School, to which he was elected in 1897, at the time of 

 his appointment as professor of geology. Further, his 

 keen sense of duty and personal responsibility in any 

 work upon which he entered, all combined to make him 

 an especially useful member of the Governing Board, and 

 he soon became closely identified with the life of the 

 institution. 



"In 1898, he was made Secretary of the Governing- 

 Board, which position he held for many years. Later, 

 he assumed the duties of Class Officer of the Senior 

 Class and Chairman of the Discipline Committee. In 

 this way he was brought closely in touch with matters 

 pertaining to the student body, and here particularly he 

 manifested that kindly and sympathetic interest which 

 showed in all his dealings, both with colleagues and 

 students. The undergraduates recognized in him a 

 friend, as well as adviser. They appreciated, in full 

 measure, his fairness as a disciplinarian and his sympathy 

 as a friend. In matters of large importance, education- 

 ally and otherwise, such as a university faculty naturally 

 has to deal with, his opinions and views were always 

 listened to with interest, even by those who might differ 

 from him, and his judgment was invariably respected. 

 Few men, professors in a university, are called upon to 

 serve in so many and varied capacities as Professor 

 Pirsson was during the period of his active work in 

 the Sheffield Scientific School. 



"In 1912, Professor Pirsson was elected a member of 



