CALL’S GEOLOGICAL WORK 
157 
ever ventured to the city, and perhaps the best science teacher 
who ever darkened the doors of high school was summarily dis¬ 
missed. But his students, with greatest enthusiasm and keen ap¬ 
preciation far beyond their years, had entered the fairy demesne 
of science. Some of these ‘‘delinquents,” from that specialized 
beginning, followed the paths so auspiciously opened up and made 
science their life’s occupation. Perhaps after all this intensive 
study of a circumscribed field was the best science training pos¬ 
sible. Quien sabef 
Professor Call was my first acquaintance with a real live scien¬ 
tist of national reputation. It was very early in my career. As 
a youngster of thirteen years, in the first years of high school, 
I had already made modest beginning at collecting shells, insects, 
birds and minerals. My teacher was John W. King, who was 
also principal. King was notably eccentric in his manners and 
methods, but he was an avowed follower of Herbert Spencer, 
and he was especially fond of trying out the Spencerian theories 
of education. So soon as he found out that any one of his 
pupils had become especially interested in any particular subject 
he at once set about to encourage him to greater and more sys¬ 
tematic effort. Being a neighbor of Call’s he made arrangements 
to take over one evening half a dozen of his kiddies, among them 
also Uly S. Grant, who has since become a distinguished authority 
on geology, and a leader in higher education, as dean of North¬ 
western University. 
Upon our arrival at his home Call joyously gave up the entire 
evening to these youngsters, showing them his books and his 
cabinet of shells, all the while giving a fascinating running talk 
on the high points of interest. The youthful company had also 
thoughtfully come prepared; for they had their pockets full of 
specimens of which they wished to know the names and about 
which they thirsted for more knowledge. They had already 
learned the long Latin titles of some few forms but they wanted 
to enlarge their scientific vocabulary. Call willingly helped to 
do this. 
Among our shells were a couple of snails which he said were 
very rare and of which he had in all his numerous trips in Iowa 
come across only a single individual; and he asked if he might 
have one of the pair. Both were instantly put at his disposal 
much to his evident satisfaction. Then he inquired where we had 
