In Memoriam. 
11 
While in Switzerland he made a large collection of Alpine plants, 
and in association with Professor Messikomer, he devoted much 
of his time in studying and unearthing the remains of the Pile- 
dwellers at the upper end of the Zurich Lake. In France he 
undertook in company with Dr. Francis Daleau, for the purpose 
of study and collecting, the excavation of the Cave-dweler caves 
in the neighborhood of Bourg sur Girande near Bordeaux. Of 
this collected material he donated a large portion to the Musee 
Prehistorique et Ethnographique of Bordeaux. His own extens¬ 
ive and valuable collection of this material and that secured in 
Switzerland was later acquired by the Milwaukee Public Museum. 
In 1894 he undertook an extended tour through Mexico, num¬ 
erous specimens collected there are now placed among the Mex¬ 
ican material.in our Museum. 
On his return from Mexico in December, 1895, he engaged 
in business, The Doerflinger Artificial Limb Company, with which 
he remained associated up to the time of his death. 
Always interested in probems of education he devoted the 
later years of his life, almost entirely to them. With his char¬ 
acteristic energy he undertook to advocate a revision of the Amer¬ 
ican public school system 1 , believing that by his proposed methods 
of education, “an improved education, broader and better in qual¬ 
ity and power, ethical and aesthetic as well as intellectual and 
physical, for the whole people,” might be attained. Whatever 
may be the merits or demerits of this proposed “New Education,” 
time will tell. It remains that its conception rests upon careful 
thought and deliberation and that it is fostered by high ideals. 
To it some of the leading educators of the day have subscribed. 
Doerflinger early recognized the educational worth of the 
kindergarten and in association with a few of Milwaukee’s force¬ 
ful men, established the first private Frobel Kindergarten in Mil¬ 
waukee, which also was one of the first to be established in the 
west. 2 He also aided materially in introducing into our school 
system, physical culture and manual training. A sincere patriot, 
he at all times took a keen interest in all matters relating to public 
welfare. 
1) For the principles involved: See Doerflinger: Synopsis of Plan for 
the Reorganization of the American Public School System, etc., 
National New Education League, Milwaukee. 
2) The First Frobel Kindergarten in America, was founded by the 
wife of Carl Schurz at Watertown, Wis., in 1855. 
