The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-07-08
JEFF. Davis than to tlle capEcity d q. 80
Grant Csacisnats orsynercias.
Aud not a few people In the South have
always been or sthat opinion.

rAI.E's history was prepared Tor the 8 col.
,imns OF tie Dispatch; but, owing to sick:
ness la the family OF our correspondent, |
d,d not reach us seasonably. Nevertheless,
as It Is the wish OF the Board OF Visitors,
and because we have been requested Dy
several persons to do so, we now give place
to the sketch. It will satisfy every friend
Of the University that the Board has made
a wise choice OF u professor. Messrs.
MARYE, BococK. GILMoRE, WHITEHEAD,
CONRAD, and RANDOLPH were not at tue
meeting OF the Board. Mr.. STUART, the.
rector, was absent on account OF sickness;
Sir. JOHN GooDE was detained by congress
sionai; dnties.3s9 8 Z u.
.&s We quote: 80. j. ga.sz..s.s...f., -
The Board OF Visitors OF the University
OF Virginia has put to worthy use Gne>g
cift made to them by Mr.. CorcGran for the
establishment OF the new professorship Of
Natural History and Geology. These gem
tlemen Oh the afternoon OF the Both OF June
fulfilled the duty OF election devolved upon
them by calling 10 the new chair William
AZ sFontaine, now professor In the Univer-
sity OF West Virginia. and its ilustrIous
Faculty Is made stronger by the addition TO
il of a Virginian widely recoenlzedin Amer
lea and Europe as among the foremost men.
OF his generation in the science that ne na "
chosen to make his own. 81
= For the public that does. not read the sci
entific Journals nor watch the growth OF
scientific discovery. it may be worth while
to sum up the life and achievements OF the
Virginia geoIogist, that comes to- take MS
appointed place as the teacberot our young
men in those sciences that they have been
too apt to neglect. Mr. Fontalne returns
now famous both as a teacher and inYesti-
caior in natural history to the State that
GIVE bin birth and to the University that
gave him bis first knowledge Of science and
bis first impulse towards investigation. He
is the son OF james Fon;ane, Esq OF Han
over county, Virginia gentleman OF the
old time, whose memory IS still reVered by
all that knew him for the worth ana
modesty of bis character, and for the So
Iidity of his mind aud the generous ar
dor of his affection. He was prepared for
the University at Hanover Academy, then
under the masterShip of Lewis Coleman;
he entered the University in 1856, and took
his master degree in 1859. The breadth
and solldty Of his general culture, as
proved BY his well-earned degree. has feen
for him the best OF foundations upon when
to build up the solid attalmentS OF his spe-
cial science. For d year or two after MS
graduation he taught in different schools OF
Virginia the branches that he had studied
at the University. When the war came on
he went into the military service OF the Con-
fedcracy, and soon rose. bv force OF his gal
liant conduct and OF his scientific attain
ments, to good position IN the Sclentinc
branches OF the Confederate army. When the
| war ended, so strong bad the impulse to SCI
entitic life come to lie in him, he left home
and went to Europe TO carry on his studies.
There, as a student, at the famous School OF
Mining at FreiDerg, in SaXony, one OF the
most famous special schools OF natural
science in the world, he worked hard under
great teachers for several years. When he
came back to America he was soon elected
| to professorsblp of Natural History in. the
new University of West Virginia. There he
has been for about ten years. ever growing
| in power and fame as teacher. In his class
| room he has taught class after class OF young
! men TO feel his own enthusiasm for the Study
of Nature; in tile field, following the newt y
cut lines Of railroad, pluneing down IN the
depths OF mines, and exploring the mountain
ranges that traverse the State, he has been
adding to his own stores OF Knowledge and
bnilding I'D his fame as an original inyestl-
CATER of the processes Of geology. The new
truths that he has discovered he has reveal
ed 10 the scientific world through scientific
ESSAYS so finely reasoned and so full OF ORR
yinal thought as to win the attention an q
the assent OF all tue great biologists. La the
,..o.,;n.,;~.>. nspnnioilE nc tho nnsi solids OF
Virginia and West Virginia, he has bad the
good fortune not only to add largely to the
Scientific knowledge of their formation, but
to aid in the development Of West Vir-
sinia by drawing capital into the workings
of tho,mines. 1t is thus That the growth OF
physical science is followed by the in
crcasing OF material wealth. The State OF
| West Virginia, wise enough to feel the
value OF such work, has published several
OF his professional essays in the State
work ION the Resources Of West Vir-
ginia.'' In other works of more techni-
cal kint.--especially his "Memoranda on
the Upper Carbonifcrous Flora OF West
Virginia ''-he has drawn the attention Of
the scientific world to the scientific value OF
the facts brought TO light in the coal-mines
OF that State. These facts have given new
shape to some Of the theories Of fossil
| botany, and this is tue science to which he
has added most Of lis n9w knowledge. His
| discoveries in this science, read by friend
before the Congress OF Biologists at Paris
| in 1878, have done much to win for him the
| applause and appreciation OF famous geolo-
| uists. In this he stands forth as specialist
OF the keenest intelligence, foremost among
the cultyators Of the science, and acknow-
legged by all competent Judges as stand
ard authority. These are some OF the
achievements that have fixed the at
teution of scientific men upon him,
aod married. him ont from the first as
the right man to occupy the Corcoran pro-
fessorship of Natural History. Never, per-
hap-, in the history OF the University has
any candidate been urged for any professor
ship with siclf an overwhelming unanimity
of professionalism scientific opinion. The
famous biologists of the United States and
any gap in their line. to point bus out to the
| Board as the one man who best knows the
geology OF Virginia, as the one geologist Of
Professor ShaIer, OF Harvard, calls him .tthe
most promising Of our American biologists
OF the present generation" The State
geolosists of North Carolina, of Geor-'
gia, and Of Alabama, all unite in
glowing recognition of what PROBES
sor Fontaine has already accomplished.
Professor Andrews, Of Miami College, says
that " no man is so familiar as Dir. Fontaine
with the geology of Virginia" Professor
John j. Stevenson, OF the University Of
New York, writes ''that Mr.. Fontaine's
! discoveries Of Virginia geology are the
standard authority" Professor Newb berry,
If Columbia College, in New York, chief
of the Geological Survey in Ohio, speaks
| in the highest terms Of the value OF Mr..
| FOpfrinn cnfoptific yynrk prnfe9 sar Hale.