The Washington times., 1923-01-30
ASTRONOMER To.
DIRECT GREAT
COLLEGE
DR.. Campbell, Famed Student
of Stars, Picked for Ex-
ecutive Ability.
BY FRED j. WALKER.
COSMOPOLITAN News Service.

ny NED ID. WALhEn.
Cosmopolitan News Service.
LICK OBSERVATORY, Mt. Ham
ilton, Cal, Jan. 3O.-What manner
Of man is DIR. William Wallace
Campbell, director of Lick Observa-
tory and one of the worlds leading
astronomers, who has been called
to the presidency of the University
of California, the largest university
in the world?
What type of college president
will an astronomer make-a man
trained in studying the stars and
in solving difficult mathematical
problems-when he comes into
actual contact with the diversified
problems which confront the director
of some 10000 students?
Seeking an answer to these ques-
tons, the Cosmopolitan News Serv-
ice representative today paid a visit
to DR.. Campbell at his headquarters
on MT. Hamilton, atop Of which is
the observatory he directs.
Wears Tweed Knockers.
DR.. Campbell has shaggy eye
frame that suggests remarkable
vitality. AT home" he dresses in
Scotch tweed Knockers and golf
stockings and sits in a room over
looking, it would seem, the entire
world. A cloud bank stretched in
a mass like the ocean hundreds of
feet below the window in front of
which he was seated
His intense personality at once
suggested the reason for the ap-
pointment of an astronomer as ex-
ecutive officer of the University Of
California.
Few of the men I work with
knew [ was considering accepting
the presidency of the university. =
did not feel that I should talk about
it until the matter had been def
niIely settled" DR.. Campbell ex-
planned. This reticence illustrated
another phase of the character of
the man who is president of the
American A Economical Society,
president Of the International AS
Union and holds many
other nigh positions.
HonOred by Astronomers.
An idea OF the high regard in
which DIR. Campbell is held by the
astronomical world is shown not
alone by his recent elevation to the
of the University of Cali
fornia: An incident occurred twenty
one years ago that throws light on
his place in his own line of work.
Shortly after the death of Prof.
Kesler, DIR. Campbelps predecessor,
President Benjamin Ide Wheeler
wrote the leading astronomers Of
the world for advice as to who
should be selected to direct the Lick
Without a dissenting
voice, replies came from all select
it was announced at the time by
President Wheeler.
Has Executive Ability.
Director Campbell combines with
the isolated aloofness of the scien-
fist the extreme practical and execu
tive abilities of the ideal college
president.
1t was this executive ability ex-
hibited in the managing of extensive
scientific expeditions that caused
DR.. Campbell first to be considered,
it is understood. His name was
first mentioned in connection with
that position shortly after he re-
eclipse expedition in Wallal, AUS.
tralia, last November, when the
first actual test Of the Einstein
theory was made.
Among. the other world-famous
expeditions DIR. Campbell has directed
were those to Jour, India. 1897-1S9s; !
to Thomaston, Georgia, 1900; to
Albania, Spain, 1905; to Flint Island,
Pacific ocean, 1908; to Kief, Russia,
1914, and to Goldendale, Wash,
1918.
Will Continue Studies.
SO as to continue with your astro-
nomical work and still carry the
burdens of your new posi-
tion?" DIR. Campbell was asked.
II plan TO remain as director of
the observatory-that was one of
the conditions under which I con
scented to accept the position-and
shah arrange my work SO that ]
shall be able to continue with my
Studies" he said
1.-THE biggest task ahead of me
before I leave the observatory in
June is to work on the Einstein
Photographic plates. That will re-
quire about three months and will
commence Immediately after DR.. ].
IT. Moore, associate astronomer, and
DR.. Robert Trumpler, assistant
return here, February /.
1--WE are considering plans for the
next solar eclipse, September 10 OF
this year, which will be observable
from San Diego and the Point Con-
ception region and from all of the
islands lying off the coast a few
score miles from Lower California
in the vicinity Of Ensenada, under
favorable conditions"
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