The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-06-07
Prof. A. A. Persons Writes
 Gard Explaining Position

him if I had not always been loyal to
 his administration and to the Univer- sity He replied that he thought TeiI me what you mean m by a Profes- sorial temperamentT' Well" said he. when you see two men talking to- gether. you imagine they are talking about you" Thereupon. informed him that imagined no such thing. He continued, When you espouse a cause in Faculty meeting, and it goes against 1 replied that he was again mistaken,-- that when I espoused any cause X always did so earnestly. but never did I regard the result of the issue as per sonal Proceeding he said, You get too excited at atheletic contests" 1 replied, Well MT. President. I'll admit that thoroughly enjoy seeing my team win, but don't think have ever made a monkey of myself on such oc- casions." Continuing. he next informed me that young lady came into his office one day very much disturbed,
 and remarked that she had just been standing an examination in Chemistry
 under Professor Persons, and knew she
 had failed because he told the class upo entering the room that "prepara-
 ton for his examinations was necessary for they were no snaps" replied 70 him, MT. President. I presume have frsquently made such remark and see nothing Inappropriate 1T, H." From another party to whom the President
 had confided this incident of ''tempera- mental unfitness." I learned the name wrote her requesting that she express her opinion of me as a teacher and as man. and this is her reply; While at the University of Alabama I took a
 two years course in Chemistry under Professor Persons. This course was thorough and beneficial. I consider
 Professor Persons most excellent in-
 structor and man worthy of con- fidence and respect"
 Resuming, the President informed me that l didn't travel around attending conventions to advertise myself with a Iview to getting away from here"
 replied that when came to the Univer- sity ten years ago. it was my impress
 sion that the Trustees brought me here
 to teach. and that I had been earnestly endeayoring to discharge that duty to
 the best of my ability ever since. I ex- plained to him that if travelled over the country for personal advertisement,
 partment. 1t would mean that recita- tions would suspend as a result of each absence fancy." said l. that the
 Board of Trustees would have just cause for grievance if I kept up such program very long" I informed the President that I had never had a desire to leave the University-that, by hard tained unto the chair of chemistry in the University of my native srate--that I had felt that the acme of my profess sional ambition would be satisfied by remaining here and being an humble factor in the further development of the institution, etc.
 Finally. he remarked: You can
 teacn the little course in chemistry you but we want an up-to-date course. T.
 replied: MT. President, you are not familiar with college courses in chem istry, and are therefore incompetent to criticize the course offered by me. Yon have never heard me teach a class. :" Sald l. T left Auburn twenty years ago, Snda ana Tor Ss.n nineteen ae sen year years since then partments of chemistry. Six of those years were spent as the head of the Department of Chemistry on what is sition. resigned the Florida chair pJ to accept g similar one in this University.
 years. As a result of study and experi-
 ence, think I have learned Something
 during these twenty years. have ai- sued, along the lines of my specialtv I have subscribed for the leading cur l rent chemical journals. I have attend ed several sessions of the Universally of Chicago. As. opportunity offered, 1 | have attended the annual sessions of chemical associations, and have been | engaged in scientific discussions with prominent chemists in association de- liberations." told him that l came to my present position with the endorso- American chemists Such men as Dr H. ". Wiley, of Washington, and some six or seven who have been presidents of the National Association of OflciaI Chemists. etc, etc. But 1t was the same old story: None are so blind as those who refuse to see." I modestly l invited him to consider his own posi-. tion of twenty years ago, and contrast his environments of those times with
 the position he was at present occupy
 ng. Now" said l. if you have deyeI r oped so in twenty years, please allow
 me the privilege of growing just a lit. | tie too"
 chemistry, Mir. President" Continued
 'T nm employing the same texts in
 general chemistry that, are used in the Johns Hopkins University. These
 books were written by President Rem