Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  ^ 
May  1,  1S73.  J 
Minutes  of  the  College. 
229 
In  1858  Prof.  Parrish  made  a  hurried  trip  to  Europe,  but  limited  his  travels 
to  England  and  Scotland,  with  a  brief  tour  to  Paris,  Strasburg  and  the  Rhine, 
availing  himself  of  the  opportunity  to  make  acquaintance  with  pharmaceutists 
and  their  institutions.  In  a  series  of  letters  published  in  1859,  in  the  "Ameri- 
can Journal  of  Pharmacy,"  he  gave  some  of  the  results  of  this  voyage. 
About  this  period  he  published  a  little  book  entitled  "The  Phantom  Bou- 
quet," which  treated  of  the  art  of  skeletonizing  leaves  and  other  parts  of 
plants. 
In  the  year  1864  the  project  of  establishing  a  collegiate  institution  under  the 
direction  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  which  had  long  been  entertained  by  some 
of  its  members,  culminated  in  obtaining  the  Act  of  incorporation  of  Swarth- 
more  College,  and  the  purchase  of  a  farm  site  of  93  acres  in  Delaware  Co.,  Pa. 
Deeply  impressed  with  the  importance  of  more  thoroughness  in  education  and 
with  the  newer  views  in  regard  to  the  manner  and  means  of  educating  the  youth 
of  both  sexes,  he  gave  the  subject  deep  attention,  and,  entering  the  field  in 
1862,  became  one  of  the  most  successful  pioneers  in  the  work  of  advocating 
the  claims  of  Swarthmore  to  those  who  held  the  means  for  its  completion  ; 
serving  as  Secretary  to  the  Board  of  Managers  from  December,  1864,  until  the 
completion  of  the  building  in  1868. 
When  finally  the  massive  structure  was  completed,  and  the  corps  of  profess- 
ors and  teachers  with  the  pupils  were  gathered  within  its  walls,  Prof.  Parrish 
was  officially  declared  the  first  President  of  Swarthmore  College,  and  continued 
in  office  during  nearly  two  years. 
We  cannot  do  better  than  give  the  following  extract  from  the  last  report  of 
the  managers  of  that  institution  in  alluding  to  the  decease  of  our  friend  :  "  One 
of  the  pioneers  engaged  in  enlisting  the  minds  of  Friends  in  the  great  work  of 
founding  a  college,  he  was  a  most  earnest  and  indefatigable  laborer  in  the  cause, 
and  it  was  largely  owing  to  his  personal  exertions  that  success  so  early  crowned 
our  efforts.  Very  many  of  the  stockholders  will  remember  that  their  interest 
in  Swarthmore  was  first  awakened  by  his  voice  and  pen.  By  conversation  in 
that  wide  circle  of  Friends  in  which  he  moved,  and  where  he  was  so  much 
beloved;  by  extensive  correspondence;  by  public  addresses,  and  by  his  work 
entitled  "Education  in  the  Society  of  Friends,"  he  did  much  to  arouse  atten- 
tion to  the  importance  of  establishing  among  us  an  institution  for  higher  cul- 
ture— culture  not  of  the  mind  alone,  but  of  the  heart  as  well  ;  and  thus,  in  con- 
nection with  his  untiring  efforts  to  secure  the  means  necessary  to  carry  out  this 
design,  he  performed  a  labor  destined  to  have  a  lasting  influence  for  good  upon 
our  religious  Society  and  upon  the  community  at  large." 
On  the  several  occasions  when  legislative  encroachment  on  the  best  interests 
of  pharmacy  needed  resistance,  or  when  legislative  aid  and  protection  were  to 
be  sought,  our  friend  took  an  active  and  efficient  part;  and  on  the  passage  of 
the  Pharmacy  Act  of  1872  he  was  one  of  the  five  commissioners  appointed  by 
the  Mayor  of  Philadelphia  to  carry  the  law  into  effect.  The  labor  incident  to 
the  organization  of  the  Board,  and  the  subsequent  service  required  in  the 
examination  of  numerous  assistants  seeking  registration  under  this  law,  pro- 
tracted till  late  in  July,  doubtless  had  some  influence  in  undermining  his  health. 
