EDITORIAL
C. Β. Larrabee Retires Director of Publications, Applied Journals, played a strong ACS role without fanfare
T
his week the American Chemical Society is without Carroll B. Larrabee, a man who con sistently has made significant contributions to the development of its publications during the past seven years. Mr. Larrabee retired Nov. 1. It is possible that many ACS members do not recognize the name. That fact would give Mr. Larrabee a certain satisfaction. He was not chemically trained, and he felt that his efforts should be directed to making the Society's pub lishing efforts more effective rather than to build ing his personal position in the ACS. He was profoundly successful to the extent that apprecia tion and cordial recollection of the man and his work will surely remain fresh with the ACS officers and staff who worked with him. Mr. Larrabee came to the American Chemical Society with an outstanding record as a pub lisher's publisher. He had been with Printers' Ink since 1920. He began there as an editorial as sistant and rose to the position of president and publisher, and finally to chairman of the board. In 1955, the American Chemical Society, seeking expert assistance with publishing problems caused by a burgeoning system, offered him the newly created position of Director of Publications, Ap plied Journals. Characteristically, he accepted the challenge, and stepped into a world some what different from that in which he had attained a position of eminence.
His acute grasp of the differences between a scientific society and a commercial publishing operation gave Mr. Larrabee an early effective ness in bringing his experience to use in attacking ACS problems. This showed especially in deal ing with an audience which, superficially and even to its membership might appear homo geneous, but which is, in fact, quite heterogeneous in its needs and interests. Through sound judg ment and careful approach, he gained the con fidence and support of the staff working with and beside him, and of the Board of Directors to whom he answered. Yet throughout his time with the Society he successfully avoided the front of the ACS stage except when his presence there was required for effective handling of his tasks. He proved highly skillful in seeing that the suc cess of his ideas focused credit upon his col leagues. Mr. Larrabee will be sharply missed in the publications activities of the American Chemical Society. But because of his great range of knowledge and breadth of interests, we know7 of no one for whom we could predict less likelihood of boredom in retirement.
NOV.
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