University of Miami - Ibis Yearbook (Coral Gables, FL)

Page 11 text:

DH. ELMEH V. HJURT

Page 10 text:

NM CN THE PASSING of one of the University's most colorful and best-loved figures, Dr. El- mer V. Hjort - school officials, faculty, and students paused Monday, December 9, in fond tribute. Dean of South Campus at the time of his death, this energetic, good-natured man, who had been associated with the University for ten years, was former Dean of the College' of Liberal Arts and head of the chemistry de- partment. At a time when the University had an enrollment of 1,000 students and most people lacked faith in its possibilities, this man of vision did not hesitate to voice an opinion concerning a strong confidence in the insti- tution's future. His belief, augmented by an enjoyment of life in Florida, caused Dr. Hjort to become deeply rooted here. This tall, distinguished, grey-haired man had just begun to see the realization of that future when he died at the age of 55. Serving the University as chairman of the scholar- ship, graduate, and curriculum committees, he kept in close contact with the Main Campus while converting the Richmond Naval Air Base into a 2,700-acre campus for freshmen. Dr. Hjort, born and reared on an lowa ffarm, came from a long line of teachers, his mother having taught in Sweden. He was one of eight children, six of whom entered the teaching profession. Dr. Hjort received his bachelor of science degree from William Penn College, Qskaloosa, lowa, in 1912. To that he added a doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh in 1924, having studied at the Universities of Akron, Chicago, and lowa, as well as lowa State College and Drake Uni- versity. He was a member of the American Chemical Society, Phi Lambda Upsilon, na- tional honorary chemistry fraternity, and Sig- ma Xi, which is devoted to the promotion of scientific research. He served a year in the URI!-KNI Army Chemical Wfarfare Service in 1918. Wliile studying for his master's degree, Dr. Hjort taught chemistry and later was city chemist for Akron, Qhio. He also taught English to European immigrants. h Prom 1924 until 1936 he taught at the University of Pittsburgh where he became an associate professor. During that time Dr. Hjort experimented with the development of tear gas protective devices and better methods of manufacturing blueprint paper. He per- fected an ultra-violet microscope illuminator which is used to cover still and motion pic- tures taken through a microscope. Among his published works are books on micro-inorganic chemistry and the application of general chem- iistry to dentistry. During the war he had numerous offers to enter industry, but teach- ing continued to be his first love. Dr. Hjort had many interests other than academic - farming and cabinet making among the most prominent. He lived quietly with his devoted wife and daughters, Edith and Nettie Belle, in their South Miami home which he built entirely himself. A keen sense of humor was characteristic of this ruddy, blue-eyed man of Swedish de- scent, in or out of the classroom. Familiar to students were his rolled-up sleeves, his closely- cropped hair, his manner of pacing the platform during a lecture, and his favorite question at every step of the laboratory ex- periments, 'fWhy?', There was greatness in the personal quali- ties of the mind and heart of this man. His personality revealed that he would like to be remembered-parading in his Seminole jacket at Iron Arrow tapping-nabbing a student attempting to leave lab via the window- placing his signature on letters of commen- dation to students making the Deanis list-as a living part of the University.

Page 12 text:

L. As The Ibis Flies North Campus , THE SEAT OF LTNIVERSITY operation since its beginning, the North Campus became linked with new areas of activity this year. The unprecedented enrollmentfound operations of the University of Miami extended to embrace three campuses. Administration officials kept up routine matters of bookkeeping and registration on the second floor of the Anastasia Building while students performed lab experiments below. The University cafeteria, also located on the ground floor, was a common meeting place for the executives and teachers, as well as students from the North Campus Law Building. Main Campus HERE LIES THE NEWLY developed University of Miamijs center oflearning. . A fleet of war-time busses coming from the North and South Campuses rumbled into the midst of the Uiniversityjs expansion program located in the Riviera section of Coral Gables. The functionally designed architecture of the first new building stood in direct contrast to the temporary quonset-type frame structures. Up to 4,000 cars streamed in daily over the two-mile stretch from North Campus to fill every bumper's width in the parking lots. South Campus A PINE-STUDDED GROWTH surrounds the wide open spaces of South Campus. 'l-lere approxi- mately 5 00 freshmen students began college life at the reconverted Richmond Lighter-than- Air Naval Basewhich lies 12 miles south of the lvlain Campus. College life became a full one for these students who developed the advantages of their temporary location to the fullest degree. 'D 'Q 'av . fu ilt I M 0 'SAN UUTH