JULY,1952
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LEMUEL F. SMITH, 1813-1951 JOHN R. SAMPEY Furman University, Greenville, South Carolilla
THEsudden passing of Professor Lemuel F. Smith on taneous expression of sympathy for a stricken comrade. the evening of November 24, 1951, brought to a close Dr. Smith's interests extended beyond the classroom the life of one of the inspiring teachers of this generation. and laboratory. He spent his vacations, and his meager During a third of a century as Professor of Chemistry savings, traveling to far away places not listed by at Kalamazoo College he saw more than 60 of his stutourist agencies. His in dents complete their studies for the Ph.D. degree in the terest in religion was a graduate schools of the nation. Recent research into sincere and vital as that the origins of American scientists' disclosed that Kalain science. He was faithmazoo stands third among the institutions of higher ful in his chapel attendlearning in the country in the training of scientists. ance, and when called on Dr. Smith continued to teach after he reached retireto lead he frequently rement age. He spent one year a t Amherst, two a t cited whole chapters of Georgetown (Kentucky), three a t Furman, one a t St. the Scriptures. He did Lawrence, and he was in what he termed his last year at, so not to display his disRichmond when his labors were brought quietly to a ciplined memory, hut to close as he was listening to his radio just before retiring impress students with for the night. the importance of Holy All who knew Dr. Smith enjoyed his refreshing sense Writ. He served three of humor. On one occasion the president of the college years as president of the told him he had just secured a young teacher of religion Baptist General Associanamed Lemuel E. Smith, and asked how he could distion of Michiean. - , a rare tinguish them. Dr. Smith replied immediately, "Call distinction for a layman L ~ r. smith ~ ~ ~ I the young man Heavenly Smith, and me Chemistry and a scientist. Smith." Such a dynamic life evolves its own philosophy of Dr. Smith was a man of deep emotions. When the life. On his desk Dr. Smith left these gems of distilled writer suffered a serious accident several years ago his wisdom: "Life is to he judged qualitatively, not quantifriend stood by his bedside, and with tears in his eyes tatively"; "Everything matters, hut nothing too said, "What a shame! What a dirty shame!" Here much"; "Nothing is ever finally settled"; "The evewas no rebellion a t an act of Providence. but the soon- ning of life gathers into fruits all the morning dews and ' KNAPP,R. H.: AND H. B. GOODRICR, Science, 113,543 (1951). noonday heat."
