Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-11-21
ILL-HEALTH CAUSES
RESIGNATION HEAD
MASS. TECHNOLOGY

Ernest Fox Nichols has resigned the
presidency of the Massachusetts In
stitute OF Technology and his resig-
nation has been accepted by the exc
cutive committee of the corporation.
His decision resulted from the advice
of his physicians that the illness
which followed Immediately after his
inauguration on June S, last, had re-
suited in certain physical lmita-
lions, some of them probably perma-
nent," which would make it unwise
for him to cssume the responsible
ties of the position.
DIR. Nichols was given a leave of
absence until January 4, next, when
the first meeting of the corporation
will be held, and the action of the
executive committee will be ratified.
DIR. Elihu Thomson of Swampscott.
chief consulting engineer of the
General Electric company. who
served as acting president after the
NSo''i u l. ltS- -.
in January, 1920, has again been APP
pointed to that position. The educa-
tlonal affairs of the institute will
continue to be directed by a faculty
administrative committee consisting
of acting Dean Henry r. Talbot and
Professors Edward +. Miller and Ed
win B. Wilson.
The letter. of
Nov. ), was made public tonight. In
it DR.. Nichols said:
Il have commended earnestly with
my doctors for a lighter judgment. l
feel more than willing to take a per-
sonal risk but they know better than
| and they stand firm in their criti-
cisms.
The success Of the Institute is of
such profound importance to our ma :
tlonal welfare, the advancement of
science and the useful arts that no
insufficient or inadequate leadership
s'sufferable. In the Judgment of my
physicians the physical disqualified
tons for the eXigencies of education
al administration are such as to not
restrict my activities in the simpler,
untroubled methodical life of scien-
tific investigation to which I was
bred. 1t is to the research labora-
tory, therefore, that l ask your leave
to return"
In his reply, Frederick P. Fish,
chairman of the executive committee
said the committee had no alterna-
tive except to accept the resignation
and added:
i cannot adequately express the
deep regret of the committee that the
Institute must lose your services S
its president We shall never cease
to deplore that you were not per
mitted to make the great contrbu-
ton TO the work which your charac-
ter, personality and training would
have assured to it,"
Dr. Nichols plans are Indefinite.
His chief concern will be to regain
his physical strength, after which he
hopes to resume certain investiea
tions in connection with problems of
lighting which he Interrupted to be-
come president of the institute.
Search has already been begun for
his successor.
From 1909 to 1916, DR.. Nichols was
president of Dartmouth college, re-
signing to accept a professorship of
physics at Yale University. He
assisted the bureau of ordinance of
the Navy department during the war.
Previously. he had served as pro-
lessor OF physics at Colgate Dart
mouth and Columbia. He is a native
of Leavenworth, Kan. was grad
uated by the Kansas Agricultural
college and took his masters and
doctors degrees of science from Cor
nell. He also studied at the Uni
rersity of Berlin and at Cambridge
University.