Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-06-24
Alfred E. Burton.

Alfred F. Burton, &c. dean of the
Massachusetts Institute OF Technolo-
gy spoke On "Peary, the Scientist"
He said:
Peary is by temperament and educa-
ton scientific man, a practical scien-
fist and all his work has been carried
on with a true scientific spirit, the
spirit, of fearless research into the Sc
crets Of nature.
l nave said that he has the scientific
him as a hoy know how early We're the
manifestations of this temperament
While still a youth he was a skilled or
nithologist and practical taXidermist
He came to Bowdoin College because
there was offered here a scientific ed
ucation and under Professor Vose, q
practical civil engineering training.
The originality and thoroughness of his
college work was proverbial. Immedi-
ately after graduation he entered by
competitive examination the United
Coast and Geodetic Survey and soon
after the civifengineering corps of the
United States Navy.
He is thus by training as well as by
Temperament a practical scientist, a
civil engineer. His work on the two
surl eys, Nicaragua Canal. his designs
for the lock gates and his constructive
work at the various navy yards place
him in the front rank of the Civil en-
gineering profession. His whole meth
cd OF attacking the North Pole prob
lem is the method of the practical sci
enlist and the engineer. And If it were
not that the glory of the final solution
of this problem so eelipses all else there
would be more general knowledge of
the rich store of geographical informa-
ton which Peary has contributed to
the scientific world since hebegan his
siege of the Pole. It was because he
had already been admitted to honored
fellowship in the great scientific and
geographic societies of the world that
from these same men there came to
him at once that generous and hearty
recognition of his claim to the final ac-
conplishment of his great undertaking.
Peary had long been recognized as a
man possessed Of the true scientific
spirit. as valued contributor to the
sum of human knowledge, as a man
infused with the true inspiration of
research so that it would be impossible
FOR him to state anything but the gen-
uine facts of observation
To such man everv journey into
unknown regions teens with interest
in all directions. There has never been
northward journey taken by Peary
when he did not materially contribute
to that systematic arrangement of
facts which we call science.
There are volumes of information of
which the general public have little
knowledge. columns of carefully ar.
ranged statistic that are in use by geo..
graphers, biologists, ethnolgists and
n eteorologists throughout the world,
and these are Peary's direct contribu
ti0ns to science but of them we hear
litti4 The scientific mind appreciates
the pursuit of knowledge for its own
sake and attain satisfaction in the
accomplishment of its aims that is not
measured by material rewards.
But this is the scientific age of the
world, and our Bowdoin alumnus
Peary, has not only the inward salts
faction that comes from the accom-
p'ishment of his purpose, but as well
the material rewards of worldly suc-
cess
He comes to US with titles and de-