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HARVARD
ALUMNI BULLETIN
V O L U M E 42
A P R I L 19, 1940
N U M B E R 25
C O N T E N T S
C O V E R : P A U L R E V E R E C R E A M P O T : Owned by the Fogg Museum of A r t .
Photograph by the Staff of the Fogg
Museum
FRONTISPIECE: REFLECTION OF BAKER TOWER.
by Arthur L. Schuh,
Photographic
study
'38
EDITORIAL NEWS AND VIEWS
.
. ' .
853
B E E T L E S : A G R E A T C O L L E C T I O N F O R H A R V A R D by Philip J.Darlington,
iMAYOR L A G U A R D I A A T T H E F I R S T S E N I O R - A L U M N I D I N N E R
Jr., '26
.
855
.
858
.
LETTERS
861
T H E C O L L E G E PUMP
864
U N D E R G R A D U A T E W E E K by William
R. Frye,
'40
.
A T H L E T I C S : S P R I N G F O R E C A S T by T. W. Stephenson,
.
866
'37
868
ASSOCIATED H A R V A R D CLUBS
870
UNIVERSITY NEWS
College English Again ,
872
John Crowne Companionship
873
Master of Lowell House
873
L a w School Faculty
874
Acting Master of K i r k l a n d .
873
Celtic: A N e w Department
.
874
OBITUARIES
875
ALUMNI NOTES
879
HARVARD ALUMNI BULLETIN:
JOSEPH R . H A M L E N , '04, PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER; D A V I D M C C O R D , ' 2 1 ,
A C T I N G E D I T O R ; J A N E E . H O W A R D , A S S I S T A N T T O T H E E D I T O R ; H . M . M A H O N , '23,
BUSINESS MAN.\GER.
Published every F r i d a y d u r i n g the academic year by the H a r v a r d Bulletin, Inc., for the H a r v a r d A l u m n i
Association. E d i t o r i a l Office, 1 8 Plympton Street; Business Office, 1 4 0 0 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge,
Mass.
Entered as Second Class Matter,
October 7, 1910, at Boston, Mass., under the Act of March 3,
1879.
A n n u a l subscription: I n the U n i t e d States and possessions, $ 4 ; i n Canada, $ 4 . 4 0 ; i n other countties, $ 4 . 7 5 .
Single copies, 1 5 cents. A subscriber w h o wishes to discontinue his subscription should give notice to that
effect before its expiration; otherwise it w i l l be continued.
Printed by the C r i m s o n P r i n t i n g Company, 1 4 P l y m p t o n Street, Cambridge, Mass.
�BEETLES: A GREAT COLLECTION FOR HARVARD
B Y P H I L I P J . D A R L I N G T O N , Jr., '26
D
U R I N G the w i n t e r of 1939-40 the
M u s e u m of Comparative Zoology at
H a r v a r d has received one of the finest collections of N o r t h Americaia beetles i n existence—that of the late D r . H e n r y C l i n t o n
F a l l . I t contains about a quarter of a m i l lion specimens, r a n g i n g i n size f r o m giants
several inches long to pygmies m u c h smaller
than the head of a p i n . More t h a n one h u n dred thousand of the specimens, about fifteen
thousand species, are i n a m a i n N o r t h A m e r i can series w h i c h fills to o v e r f l o w i n g 296 boxes,
each 12 by 8 inches. N e a r l y another h u n d r e d
thousand are i n a second N o r t h A m e r i c a n
series w h i c h came to D r . F a l l a few years ago
f r o m C h a r l e s L i e b e c k . T h e balance of the
quarter m i l l i o n is made up by exotic beetles,
and there are also a few thousand good butterflies and moths. A l l of the specimens are
beautifully prepared and arranged.
M a n y of the exotics are showy, but the
F a l l Collection is not for show. It is not and
never w i l l be on exhibition to the public.
T h e N o r t h A m e r i c a n section i n particular is
a working collection of the very greatest v a l ue, w h i c h w i l l be reserved for the use of
scientists. T o understand the scientific value
of an enormous accumulation of specimens of
this sort, one must k n o w something of the
purposes and methods of m u s e u m w o r k .
Most big zoological museums have two
functions: the obvious one of exhibition and
C h i l d h o o d collections of shells and butterflies lie
at the back and bottom of many A m e r i c a n h a l l
closets—cracked and moth-eaten evidence that the
collection irripulse flowers ( a n d generally dies)
young. T h a t it continues to stir the pulses of the
rare adult, and causes h i m to pursue all sorts of
ephemera to the ultimate satisfaction of the glass
bottle and the cork and common p i n , is beyond the
understanding of the average l a y m a n . T h e author
explains it all i n this brief article.
P h i l i p J . D a r l i n g t o n , Jr., '26, S . M . '27, P h . D . ' 3 1 , is
assistant curator of insects i n the M u s e u m of C o m parative Zoology. H e has just been appointed first
F a l l Curator of Coleoptera at the M u s e u m , a permanent position established i n honor of H e n r y
Clinton F a l l , D a r t m o u t h '84, donor of the Collection
of N o r t h A m e r i c a n beedes w h i c h the Museum has
recently received.
education, and the less obvious one of research. M u s e u m research is concerned p r i marily w i t h w h a t is called t a x o n o m y — w i t h
the classification of animals. It is the business
of a m u s e u m m a n to find out w h a t sort of
animals there are, where they come f r o m , and
h o w they m a y be distinguished. H e does
this by getting together and studying large
numbers of properly preserved and labeled
specimens.
A n d w h e n he has done it, he
gives names to the different kinds, and publishes a concise .scheme of classification. A n d
the specimens he has used are stored a w a y i n
the m u s e u m for c h e c k i n g and for future use.
N o w , m u s e u m w o r k is f u n , or there w o u l d
be few people engaged i n it, for it is not w e l l
paid. B u t it is also useful i n an unostentatious w a y , if it is properly done and if the
results are properly published so that other
people can use them. T h e classification of
animals is, perhaps, not important i n itself,
unless the pleasure it gives to m a n y amateur
and professional taxonomists is important,
but it is a means to several useful ends.
T h e first great use of a n i m a l classification
is to set up a system w h i c h is like a giant card
index, i n w h i c h each a n i m a l has its place and
name by means of w h i c h a l l sorts of information can be filed away and found
again.
H o w such a system w o r k s is best s h o w n by
example.
Suppose (for example—it really happened)
a mosquito suddenly appears i n B r a z i l and
raises hell w i t h the m a l a r i a l rate. T h e first
t h i n g to do is to find out the name of the
mosquito and its place i n classification, either
by direct comparison w i t h a scientific collection, or by consulting a specialist, w h o has
studied collections. A n d suppose (as was the
case) the mosquito turns out to be a c o m m o n
A f r i c a n species, Anopheles
gambiae.
Then
one can look up that name i n bibliographies
a n d indexes, and go f r o m them to articles i n
scattered scientific journals, and may find a
good deal on record about the habits and control of that particular mosquito neatly filed
away (so to speak) under the name. A n d
even if no further information is found, the
�856
H A R V A R D
A L U M N I
knowledge that the insect is A f r i c a n and has
invaded B r a z i l , probably a r r i v i n g as a n u n invited guest i n an airplane, w a r n s that the
species can enter n e w country w i t h disastrous
results a n d that it must be guarded against,
by fumigation of airplanes f r o m infected regions and by other means. B u t if the mosquito d i d not have a name and a place i n
classification to distinguish it f r o m all other
mosquitoes, it w o u l d be next to impossible
to discover that it came to B r a z i l f r o m A f r i c a
or that a n y t h i n g had been k n o w n about it
before.
O r suppose (this really happened, too) a
striped beetle appears i n G e r m a n y and attacks potato plants so severely that it is officially proclaimed " F a r m e r s ' E n e m y N u m ber 1 " . It is easy to discover i n any of several
good G e r m a n museums that it is the A m e r i can "Potato B u g " , Leptinotarsa
decemlineata,
and then it is easy to look up the best w a y to
fight it, w i t h o u t costly delay.
O f course, it is not always necessary to rush
to a m u s e u m to identify a pest, for museums
do not have a corner on a n i m a l classification.
B u t the sort of w o r k w h i c h is done i n research
museums is w h a t makes identification pos-
B U L L E T I N
sible, not only i n emergencies but i n thousands of less spectacular cases. A n d w i t h the
increasing size of modern collections and the
increasing volume of the literature, museums
are c a r r y i n g more and more of the load of
n a m i n g and i n d e x i n g the a n i m a l w o r l d .
np A X O N O M Y — t h e classification of aniX_ mals and plants—has contributed to pure
science too, more than most l a y m e n realize.
It contributed, for instance, to the discovery
of the theory of evolution by natural selection, w h i c h has had such profound influence
not only on biology but on modern thought.
T h e principle of natural selection was u n covered independently by two men, Charles
D a r w i n and A l f r e d Russel W a l l a c e . B o t h of
these m e n were deeply interested i n classification and i n the closely related problem of
geographical distribution of organisms. Both
m e n traveled widely, collecting animals and
plants and finding m a n y n e w species, some of
w h i c h were later given the names
darwini
and wallacei.
D a r w i n widened his interests
greatly i n later l i f e ; W a l l a c e was always p r i m a r i l y a student of classification and distribution. It is no accident that these t w o i n -
I
IN T H E F A L L COLLECTION: T H R E E EXOTIC NORTEI AMERICAN
BEETLES
�LA G U A R D I A A T FIRST SENIOR-ALUMNI D I N N E R
T
H R E E hundred and fifty seniors—nearly half the class—filled to capacity the
Eliot H o u s e d i n i n g hall on the occasion of
the first S e n i o r - A l u m n i D i n n e r last T h u r s day. T h e occasion was the fulfillment of
the long-cherished conviction of D r . E l l i o t t
C . Cutler, '09, President of the H a r v a r d A l u m n i Association, that seniors w o u l d be glad
to be informed of their rights and privileges
as a l u m n i before leaving the U n i v e r s i t y .
W h e n first consulted, the senior officers
immediately responded to the suggestion by
the appointment of the three marshals,
T h o m a s V . H e a l e y , P h i l C . N e a l , Ernest J .
Sargeant, and F r e d e r i c k H o l d s w o r t h , Jr., as
a committee to manage the dinner. Professor
Roger B . M e r r i m a n , '96, Master of E l i o t
House, enthusiastically approved the choice
of the E l i o t d i n i n g room. R o y L . Westcott,
manager of the U n i v e r s i t y D i n i n g H a l l s ,
provided a special dinner, and the A l u m n i
Association contributed free beer and cigarettes.
A t the first meeting, the senior committee
expressed the hope that the class might be
addressed by a national figure w h o w o u l d
give them a n optimistic v i e w of their chances
i n the troubled w o r l d they w o u l d encounter
w h e n they left the U n i v e r s i t y . T h r o u g h the
excellent offices of a classmate of D r . Cutler's
father, Charles C . B u r l i n g h a m , '79, w h o m
Mayor Fiorello H . L a G u a r d i a described as
"the first citizen of N e w Y o r k C i t y , " the
N e w Y o r k M a y o r was prevailed upon to
m a k e a special trip to C a m b r i d g e to address
the Senior Class.
T l i e energetic and popular Mayor L a G u a r d i a of
N e w Y o r k City paid a flying visit to H a r v a r d last
week to speak at tlie first S e n i o r - A l u m n i D i n n e r
( E l i o t House) and to address afterwards (Indoor
Athletic B u i l d i n g ) some 7 0 0 students at a meeting
sponsored by the Council of Government Concentrators.
H i s Honor came to the S e n i o r - A l u m n i
D i n n e r on the invitation of D r . E l l i o t t C . Cutler, ' 0 9 ,
President of the A l u m n i Association, and through
the offices of a past President, Charles C . B u r l i n g h a m , ' 7 9 . T h e success of the evening is evidenced
by this article prepared for the B U L L E T I N by W i l l i a m G . Roelker, ' 0 9 .
T h r e e quarters of an hour ahead of time,
the seniors began to pack both entries to the
d i n i n g hall. E v e r y seat was q u i c k l y filled,
and some thirty or forty late arrivals could
not be accommodated. U n d e r prolonged applause the M a y o r entered the hall under the
escort of D r . Cutler, Professor M e r r i m a n , and
several A l u m n i Directors.
W h e n the dinner had advanced f r o m
mock turtle soup to strawberry ice-cream
and coffee, Professor M e r r i m a n rose to w e l come the Mayor to H a r v a r d and E l i o t House.
" T h e Class of 1940 is fortunate to have the
opportunity tonight to be addressed by the
M a y o r of N e w Y o r k , " he said, " a n d H i s
H o n o r is equally privileged to have as a n
audience one of the best classes I have ever
k n o w n i n m y fifty years' connection w i t h the
University."
D r . Cutler, introducing the subject of the
rights w h i c h the seniors w i l l enjoy w h e n
they become a l u m n i , touched on the history
of the College and the A l u m n i Association.
" E x - P r e s i d e n t John Q u i n c y A d a m s , 1787, was
elected first President w h e n the organization
was founded at Commencement, 1840.
For
a number of years it was largely a social organization whose meetings, consisting of a
two-hour oration and a dinner followed by
numerous speeches, lasted u n t i l sunset. B y
1848 the Association had nearly petered out.
At this time the Board of Overseers was still
composed of officials of the Commonwealth and
the ministers of the neighboring towns—Boston,
Watertown, etc.—as it had been since the foundation of the College. T h e Corporation, created
by the Charter of 1650 as a sort of executive committee for the Overseers, was composed, as it is
today, of five Fellows, in perpetual succession,
and the President and Treasurer. T h i s body
must have the consent of the Overseers for its
undertakings, and thus the Overseers act as a
sort of brake and safeguard upon the Corporation.
I n 1848 a number of men were elected to the
Legislature who felt that Harvard was 25 years
behind the times both in teaching and i n organization. A bill was introduced to remodel the
Charter by increasing the Corporation to fifteen
�H A R V A R D
A L U M N I
dependent discoverers of natural selection
had similar t r a i n i n g and lived at the same
time. U n t i l a multitude of obscure taxonomists
had carried the classification of the a n i m a l
and plant w o r l d s to the point where relationships could be appreciated, neither D a r w i n
nor anyone else could very w e l l conceive of
natural selection. B u t w h e n that point w a s
reached, the conception was certain, and
w o u l d certainly have come to someone else if
neither D a r w i n nor W a l l a c e had got it.
A n d there is no reason to t h i n k that the
contributions of taxonomy to pure science
are over. T h e most s t r i k i n g recent advances
i n evolutionary theory have come chiefly
f r o m genetics laboratories. B u t w e do not
yet k n o w whether or not geneticists are on
the track of evolution as it really occurs i n
nature. M a n y persons t h i n k not. T a x o n o mists and paleontologists, most of w h o m are
taxonomists too, w h o study the differences
w h i c h have really evolved a m o n g l i v i n g and
fossil animals, see the real products of evolution, and these persons are i n the best position to criticize the geneticists' conclusions.
T h e next great contribution to our k n o w l edge of evolution w i l l probably not be made
by taxonomists directly, but their criticism is
likely to help geneticists and cytologists to
m a k e it. A n d evolution is w o r t h understanding. O n e of these days, if Professor H o o t o n
is sufficiently eloquent, w e m a y try to direct
the evolution of m a n . T h e n evolutionary
theory w i l l cease to be pure science and w i l l
become of the most vital, practical i m portance.
But to come back to D r . F a l l ' s beetles: I
do not mean, of course, that they w i l l save us
f r o m some insidious insect pest or that they
w i l l introduce a n e w era i n biological thought.
W h a t I do m e a n is that the F a l l Collection
has a far greater value than if it were merely
a quarter of a m i l l i o n pretty insects pinned at
r a n d o m into a few h u n d r e d boxes. I t represents a very real contribution to taxonomy,
and through taxonomy to all science. I t represents not only the value of the i n d i v i d u a l
specimens, but also a lifetime of intelligent
w o r k . O n the basis of this collection. D r .
B U L L E T I N
857
F a l l published 144 scientific papers, described
and named about 1,400 n e w species, and revised (reclassified) a number of our largest
and most difficult genera. A n d even this is
not a l l . T a x o n o m y is, or should be, a cooperative u n d e r t a k i n g carried on by m a n y
persons, generation after generation, according to specific rules w h i c h have been established by an international committee. A n d
throughout his w o r k D r . F a l l d i d cooperate
and d i d abide by the rules—some persons do
not, and m a k e more confusion than they do
good. H e took the trouble ( a n d it is often a
lot of trouble) to check back to the specimens
studied by earlier taxonomists to m a k e sure
just w h a t they were t a l k i n g about w h e n their
descriptions were ambiguous, and he kept i n
touch w i t h his contemporaries.
H i s boxes
are f u l l not only of his o w n authentic " t y p e s "
but of specimens compared w i t h other f a m ous collections, and of authentic specimens received f r o m other w o r k e r s . T h e F a l l C o l lection represents, as w e l l as any one man's
w o r k can, a complete cross section of modern
classification of N o r t h A m e r i c a n beetles. I t
is not only a monument to D r . F a l l , w h o
made it, and a fine acquisition for the m u s e u m
as it stands, it is also a first-class basis for
further w o r k , i n this and future generations.
A n d a little by w a y of biography: H e n r y
C l i n t o n F a i l was born December 25, 1862, at
F a r m i n g t o n , N . H . , and died N o v e m b e r 14,
1939, at T y n g s b o r o , Mass. H e w e n t to D a r t mouth College ('84), and received an honorary S c . D . f r o m D a r t m o u t h i n 1929.
He
was, by profession, a teacher of physics and
chemistry. H i s interest was turned to the
study of beetles as a n avocation w h e n he w a s
fifteen years o l d : J u l y 17, 1878, at W a k e f i e l d ,
Mass., at 7.30 i n the evening, w h e n he caught
and was fascinated by a specimen of a b i g
"longicorn", Prionus
pocularis.
H e preserved and labeled the specimen. I t was the
first of his quarter m i l l i o n .
W e feel that it is a great compliment to the
M u s e u m of Comparative Zoology that D r .
F a l l , w h o was not a H a r v a r d m a n , chose to
leave his collection to us for safe keeping and
for future use.
�
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1940 Harvard Alumni Bulletin Beetle Article Dr Henry Clinton Fall
Description
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1940 Harvard Alumni Bulletin Article "Beetle: A Great Collection For Harvard." The article by Phillip J Darlington Jr. is about Dr Henry Clinton Fall who donated a very large, diverse collection of a quarter of a million beetles, butterflies, and moths to one of the museums of Harvard. Fall was born in Farmington, NH in December of 1862.
Size: 7" x 10"
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1940 Harvard Alumni Bulletin
Article "Beetle: A Great Collection For Harvard." by Phillip J Darlington Jr.
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1940 Harvard Alumni Bulletin
Article "Beetle: A Great Collection For Harvard." by Phillip J Darlington Jr.
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1940
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Fall
Farmington
Harvard
insects
science
taxonomy