1302 Wisconsin Academy of SciencesArts, and Letters. 
ing forth creative results exists. The idea of engaging pro¬ 
fessors who are to do a certain limited amount of teaching and 
then devote the remainder of their time to research of their 
own choosing is the best way of securing real creative work. 
It shows the remarkable insight of William E. Vilas when he 
provided in his will for the establishment of such professor¬ 
ships at Wisconsin. But that he should have foreseen that 
this is the best method to advance research is really not to be 
wondered at, for he was himself a man of great energy, origi¬ 
nality and creative power. Only such a one can really com¬ 
prehend what is essential to conditions for productive work 
that is not mediocre in character. There is, of course, great 
danger of making a mistake in securing a person who is to 
carry on researches of the highest order. The leisure and free¬ 
dom from all restraint will almost certainly be abused by some, 
especially by those who are really unfit to do work of the high¬ 
est order. Nevertheless, to make progress the risk of securing 
the proper persons for creative scientific work must be run, 
just as such risks are taken in securing individuals to carry on 
important lines of work in business and other vocations. In 
choosing persons for positions in which work of the highest 
order is to be done, it would be folly, however, to select any 
but those that have already demonstrated that they are indus¬ 
trious and have accomplished something that shows genuine 
independence of thought and creative genius. 
Those whose minds are already made up, have no desire to 
investigate, consequently open-mindedness is a prime quality 
characterizing a successful scientific investigator. Independ¬ 
ence, fearlessness and self reliance, which must, however, never 
reach the stage of self-conceit, are further indispensable attri¬ 
butes of the successful scientific man of the first order. 
That teaching develops the power to think clearly and to 
express one’s thought in simple language that is readily com¬ 
prehended, there can be no doubt. And so it is to be regarded 
as an advantage rather than a hindrance to one engaged in re¬ 
searches to do a limited amount of teaching. Moreover, the 
duty to lead, instruct and inspire the rising unsophisticated 
