Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-04-30

time they worked at this together. II Is
not TO be wondered at that when later
Roscoe Pound entered the University OF
Nebraska in 1854, he took up the study OK
botany This influence Of the mother, ana
the later influence Of that now grand OLD
man who was then in his best vigor Dean
Charles r. Bessey, came near depriVlng the
world of a great lawyer. Dean Bessey
still insists that the loss OF the world
would not have been great, for there would
have been intead great botanist. Under
Prof Bessey that young lad pursued MS
studies in plant life, doing his major work
in that branch. He took his A. b, degree
in 1858.
The boys early training had not been
such as would cause him to take up with
the delights of the other college men. he
had learned to study early and he enjoyed
study more than anything esle. However,
he did not keep himself entirely aloof from
the other boys of the school. During his
college days he took a keen interest In
military drill, which had then been just re-
Gently installed He drilled because he en-
joyed It, and during those years estab-
lished a precedent TO stop, which ruling by
the faculty was necessary. As he enjoyed
the work Of the cadet battalion, he soon
drop out after accomplishing this, but this
did not appeal to Roscoe Pound. He
liked TO drill. So back into the ranks he
went, and before his graduation he had
again risen to a captaincy. having gone
through all the necessary promotions for
that place. Others followed his example
and after a time a ruling was made that
one could only rise to that office once.
His social life was not great. He rather
eschewed IL. He did, however, become
member Of the Alpha Theta Chi fraternity,
being one of its earliest members. One OF
the most pleasing affiliations in the uni
versity was his connection with Sem Bot,
a bontany seminary which was organized
about this time, the purpose Of which was
to advance learning in botany This or
ganization picked it's membership by merit
only, an examination being necessary for
admission. 1t was young Pounds work in
this organization which satisfied Prof.
Bessey that young genius lay wrapped
up in him.
After graduation and receiving a bach
elor's degree, the young man, now is years
of age, entered the graduate school and
pursued his studies in the natural sciences
and languages further He was given
masters degree in 1882 and the following
year he took his doctor degree of Phi. d.
This is the last degree which he took any
place. 1t will be surprising, indeed, If at
some time in the near future the Univer-
slty Of Nebraska does not confer upon him
that degree, coveted by all scholars,
namely, LII. D., or doctor of laws. on
his graduation from the college of arts and
science he was awarded Phi Beta Kappa
key as a symbol of good scholarship.
At the time Of his leaving the University
of Nebraska it seemed that Roscoe Pound
was destined to be a worlds great botanist.
His friends saw this as his career, and
they prophesied that he would be success
full. He did gain considerable prominence
as a botanist and his writings made 1t
seem certain that this was to be his call
ing. During the two decades since 1883
when he took his b. A. degree, his career
was swift and brilliant. In both natural
science and Jurisprudence, which he had
later taken up, he attained eminence
through original research. His articles,
books and discoveries have won him an
honorable place among specialists in botany.
AS director of the botanical survey he
served Nebraska for nine years s9l-190D /;
while in 1908. in recognition of his re-
searches a genus of fungi was dedicated to
him by DR.. Otto Kuntze. The plant name
was made up of the words Roscoe
Pound" thus roscopoundia. Thus a great
student OF botany recognized him early.