Michigan State University - Red Cedar Log Yearbook (East Lansing, MI)

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5 WII.I.IAM 1. BEAT- am HMflll

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Robert C. K dzie, m. n., m. d., Professor of Chemistry, has given instruction to every class (rraduattd from M. A. C. save two, and sixty-two of his students are now professors of colleges. 1 laving taught ciiem- istrv for over a third of a century, he has been in the lighting ranks of every college war and considers himself •■ the best abused ' man ever connected with the College. Born in Delhi. X. V.. January 2S. 1823. his parents soon came to Michigan and his earlv schooling was in a log hut. and the family library — Scott ' s Commentary, Cook ' s ' oy- ages, Burns ' works. l- ' ox s Book of Martyrs, and Chalmers ' Sermons, with a large map of the United States, and seven newspapers — formed the greater part of it, as must needs be with the ' -struggle for life in the woods ' and a widowed mother with seven children. He graduated from Oherlin College, classical course, in 1S47. and received his A. M. in 1864. Tiie Doctor graduated from the University of Miciiigan with the tirst medical class in 1850, supporting himself by teaching district schools. He then taught in the K.ochester (Mich.) Academv for two years, then studied and practiced medicine for one vear in Kalainaz(H). lie then practiced his profession in ' ermontville for about ten years and acted as a surgeon in the army for a year. He was appointed to his present position in 1863. Dr. Ked .ie has won himself honor in many ways: he -has fought the kerosene war and fertilizer skirmish to a tinisii and is the a cr of the faflners ' institutes and the sanitarv conventions of the Stale Board of Health.

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milliam James Bcal, Pb. d., I ' rotcssor of PxHany and Forestry, was born at Adrian, Mich., March ii, 1833. When sixteen years of a ■e he entered the Raisin Valley Seminary the term it opened. In 1855 he spent some months at the Lodi Academy (long since closed), Lodi, Mich., preparing for college. October i, 1855, he entered the classical course at the University of Michigan, and graduated in 1859 with the degree of A. 15. lie at once became teacher of natural science in the Friends ' Academy, Union Springs. L ' ayuga county, N. Y., remaining there until March. 1861. when he entered the scientific school of Harvard University, and for one and a half years studied botany, zoology and comparative anatomy under Gray, Agassiz and Wyman. In 18(13 he began teaching in the Ilcjwland School. . V.. and ctMitinued until 1868, with the excejilion of a spring term spent at Harvard, where he graduated with a B. S. in 1865. In 1862 he received the degree of M. A. from the I ' niversily of Michigan. From 1866 to 1871 he was Professor of Natural History at the Chicago University. He came to M. A. C. in 1871 as Professor of Botany and Horticulture, and in 1881 became Professor of Botany and Forestry, which position he now holds. He was the first president of the Association of Botanists of the U. S. Experiment Station, in 1888. and one of the organizers of the S. P. Agricultural Circle. From 1888-91 he was director of the State Forestry Commission. In 18S5 he became president of the People ' s Savings Bank of Lansing, which position he still holds. Dr. Beal is the author of many reports, lectures and papers, and a frequent contributor to agricultural and horticultural papers. In 1887 he published a volume on the grasses of North America, and is now at work on a second volume.