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INDUSTRIAL A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
T’ol. 19, No. 4
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARIES Elbert William Rockwood
S
EVERAL weeks ago, while on a medicine. During the years following short trip across Iowa, I ran across 1895 he was a teacher and student as well, an old friend of college days, now a doing graduate work a t Gottingen, Leipzig, successful physician, whom I had not seen and Strassburg, and finally at Yale where for many years. When we had exchanged he received the degree of doctor of philosopersonal greetings, talk drifted around to phy in 1904. In the same year he was changes in the old school, and almost the made head of the Department of Chemisfirst question was, “And what about Dr. try a t Iowa and continued in that position Rockwood? I haven’t seen much of him until 1920, when he retired from active since I left school.” Then he added, “A executive work to devote himself to his fine man. He used to take a lot of interest particular branch of chemistry and to rein us, and we thought a lot of him.” search. Many generations of students have come During the period of his incumbency and passed on since Dr. Rockwood, then the department made rapid progress in a young man of twenty-four years, first number of students and in the character appeared a t the University of Iowa in of the work done. Undoubtedly, much of 1888. He was put in charge of a group the present success of chemistry a t the of medical and dental students who were State University of Iowa can be traced to likely to demand their own way, and who his earnest efforts to secure men who repfrequently proceeded to have it regardless resent the best ideals in teaching and in research. An enthusiastic and conscienof opposition on the professor’s Dart. Tust what- methods Dr.- Rockwood used to E. W. Rockwood tious teacher himself, he was sympathetic handle the situation we do not know. toward the efforts of others and full of Apparently, however, the students soon recognized the quality encouragement, especially for the young members of the deof the man and, as has been the case with each succeeding partment. Special students in chemistry were his “boys,” as generation of students, became his very cordial friends. This the annual letter to this group indicated. His interest in their relationship could only have been established where there was successes continued long after they had left the University. Apparently in perfect health, Dr. Rockwood carries the weight a true appreciation of the value of the student and a real regard for him and his success. Young men are very apt to be of years as lightly as a man a decade younger. He comes to his able to tell whether or not an interest manifested in them is office on the regular schedule which he has kept for the last genuine, and no teacher can carry the esteem of his pupils twenty years, and may be seen working there daily. Sometimes we see him busy with the revision of one of his books, sometimes year after year unless his relationship with them is on the highest plane. That Dr. Rockwood has been truly successful with his advising a graduate student, and very often working in his students is evidenced by the fact that the conversation men- laboratory with one of his pet enzymes. He has never quite tioned is typical of what his colleagues have learned to expect lost the habit of keeping his own hands busy in the details of his research. Dr. Rockwood always has time for a friend, a student, whenever they happen to meet a former student of his. Elbert William Rockwood was born on July 4, 1860. He or a colleague. His advice is sound, his manner of giving it open attended college a t Amherst, where he was graduated in 1884. and gracious, his whole attitude that of a helper to his fellows. He came to the State University of Iowa as an instructor in I t is a source of much satisfaction to us who are his colleagues chemistry in 1888, and in 1890 was made professor in charge of that he continues his active work, and that the associations which chemistry for medical and dental students. In 1895he was given we have learned to value may be expected to continue for many PERRY A. BOND years. the degree M.D. by the university, but has never practiced
Calendar of Meetings American Chemical Society-73rd Meeting, Richmond, Va., April 11 to 16, 1927. 74th Meeting, Detroit, Mich., September 5 to 10, 1927. Midwest Regional Meeting-Chicago, Ill., May 27 and 28,1927. Division of Colloid Chemistry-Fifth National Colloid Symposium, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich., June 22 to 24, 1927. Institute of Chemistry-State College, Pa., July 4 to 30, 1927. Second National Symposium on Organic Chemistry-Columbus, Ohio, December 29 to 31, 1927. American Electrochemical Society-Benjamin Franklin Hotel, Philadelphia, Pa., April 28 to 30, 1927. Fall Meeting in the form of an excursion through the Northwest, September 4 to 20, 1927.
American Refractories Institute-Spring Meeting, Atlantic City, N. J., May 18 and 19, 1927. American Association of Cereal Chemists-13th Annual Meeting, Hotel Fontenelle, Omaha, Nebr., Ma,y 30 to June 3, 1927. American Institute of Chemical Engineers-Cleveland, Ohio, May 31 to June 3, 1927. American Leather Chemists’ Association-Cincinnati, Ohio, June 15 to 17, 1927. American Society for Testing Materials--rlnnual -Meeting, French Lick, Ind., June 20 to 24, 1927. Eleventh Annual Exposition of Chemical Industries-Grand Central Palace, New York, N. Y., September 26 to October 1, 1927.
