12 
CORNELL UNIVERSITY 
No Comstock eulogy is complete without a reference to Comstock’s 
home. His marriage intensified his influence in every way. His 
home became the center of Nature-Study as of human friendliness. 
Scores of youth of promise of Cornell have owed as much to the per¬ 
sonal sympathy of the Comstocks as to anything anybody taught 
them in the school. Not one of all of them—men or women—but 
renders grateful tribute to-day, not to Comstock alone, but equally 
to the gifted and big-hearted colleague, who as helpmeet has kept 
full step with him through all these years. 
The chairman then introduced the next speaker as follows: 
It is often said that men are not appreciated by their classmates until 40 
years afterward. Like other rules this is proven by the exceptions. 
The next address is by one of the brilliant thirteen whose petition, back in 
1872, launched Mr. Comstock on his career as teacher of Entomology in this 
University.* It is with great pleasure that I introduce to you a classmate and 
a friend for all of these intervening years. Professor William R. Lazenby, of 
the Class of 1874. 
ADDRESS BY A CLASSMATE 
William R. Lazenby 
Forty years ago the class of ’74 completed the required course of 
study here at Cornell. I deem it only fair to say that most of the 
members of this class left the University at that time to begin their 
Education. But there were among our three score and six a few who 
had already begun the real business of life,—which is Education. 
One of this number we all remember. We knew him because 
of his modesty, his devotion to study, and his genuine manliness of 
character. Necessity is our master and students like others are 
♦The reference here made is to the petition of thirteen students in Natural History and Agri¬ 
culture to the Natural History Faculty of Cornell University requesting that "permission and 
facilities be given to J. H. Comstock to deliver a course of ten or twelve lectures during the present 
Trimester upon Insects injurious to Vegetation,” and also asking that "attendance upon the lectures 
and an examination satisfactory to the Professor of Zoology be allowed to count as one hour per 
week; and that regular participation in the field work be allowed to count for the other hour of the 
two assigned to Entomology in the Spring Trimester of the 2d year of the 4-year course in 
Agriculture.” 
This petition bore the following signatures and indorsements: 
Herbert E. Copeland, G. E. Foster, 
E. R. Copeland, P. M. Chadwick, 
T. A. Thompson, W. H. Schumacker, 
F. P. Hoag, Thomas W. Jaycox, 
David S. Jordan, C. Y. Lacy, 
M. C. Johnston, R. W. Corwin, 
W. R. Lazenby, 
Forwarded approved by the Faculty of Natural History. 
Burt G. Wilder, Dean. 
At a meeting of the Faculty [The General Faculty] held April 5, 1872, the accompanying 
application was granted. „ 
W. T. Hbwett, Secretary. 
