New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-06
DR.. DRAPER'S CENTENARY
Professor Who Helped Perfect
Photography Honored.
NOTED CIVIL WAR HISTORIAN
Tributes Paid by His Successors
to a Man Who Gave As Years
to New York University.

John william Draper was acclaimed
New York Cniversity's noblest professor
yesterday by five professors and two mem
hers Of the Board Of Aldermen at the cen
tenary exercises OF his birth. held on Uni
versity Heights before an audience OF al
most two thousand persons.
Or. John J. Stevenson. professor emer-
titus Of geology presided He said that
DR.. Draper for forty-iye years issued vol
urne after volume Of his own experiments
re had worked with equal success in
physics and metaphysics He had bee,
recognized abroad and had received q full
share Of honors He had received the
Humpford medal. which had not been
awarded in a generation. His life had
been spent in New York Unversitys SER
vice and his work done in the old gray
building which stood in Washington
square.
Or. Arthur p. Lamb. professor 81 chem
strv. dealt with Professor Diapers con-
tributions 10 photography He said in part:
His early experience with photography
especially fitted him TO appreciate the m
proved method proposed by Daguerre. II
happened that Professor Morse, then pro-
In Europe during the summer or l%9, Whsn
Daguerre : discovery was announced.
Morse famiiarzsd himself With the proc
ess and brought home full details 70 Pro-
fessor Draper. Dazuerre had not succeeded
in taking portraits OF persons. RE was
obliged 10 expose his plates for twenty
minutes 20 half an hour In a bright hght.
Only buildings statuarv and immovable
objects had been able 10 survive the ex-
pOsure without fiinChing. Draper quickly
saw how the process could be shortened.
The face must be still more brilliantly
Illuminated. This he could accomplish by
means Of large concave mirrors, which
would focus the sunlight full upon the sit
ter. But unfortunately these mirrors would
act like burning glasses and the heat and
light would be binding
Here Diapers previous experience came
into play. He merely placed thin rectan-
gular glass tanks containing 2 solution or
copper or blue vitriol "a it is called, be-
tween tho mirror and the sitters face
This solution allowed only the blue rays
from the sun 10 pass through; the heat
RAYS and the other Hight rays were alb
sCroed.
Draper knew. however that the blue rays
were in general the most active ones In
producing chemical changes. and should
readily affect his daguerreotype plate.
Catherine DOROTHY Draper, who had as
sisted him faithfully In his scientific work.
was his first sitter and she had. therefore.
tho honor of being the first person whose
portrait was taken by Photographic means.
Civil War Historian.
Professor Marshall Stewart Brown spoke
OF DR. Diapers historical work and his
friendship with General Sherman and Sec
rotary Of War Stanton. He said.
When Sherman and Stanton were on IN
friendly terms in the dark days OF recon
structiOn It was the kindly, gracious per
sonalty Of John William Draper which
healed again their broken friendship
The friendship II Stanton opened 10 him
for the first time the records Of the
federal government Personal acquaintance
with many Of the chief actors. North and
South, protracted residence in the South.
scientifically trained mind free from
sectional and personal bias we're among
the factors which qualified him for his
great work on the history Of the American
Civil War.
Dr. Charles L. Bristol. professor Of bio
logy, who was a student under Professor
Draper, told OF their first meeting. He
said:
He was a short. stocky man. slightly
stopping. dressed in black and wearing q
silk hat with his head slightly inclined
His carriage was easy, and yet II had ar
expression Of deliberate certainty Hi:
and returned my salute. as he always die
when a student paid him that mark Of re
spect.
The Board Of Aldermen Of the city wa:
represented BY its vice-chairman, Francis
p Bent and John y. Boschen. Mr.. BEN
presented the John William Draper reso
luton that was adopted several weeks
ago.
A third generation OF the Draper family
a young lad who is now freshman al ne
university sat in the audience yesterday
He bears the name OF his grandfather
John William Draper.