EDITORIAL
Ν. Howell Furman he death of Dr. N. Howell Furman (see page 25 ) has taken from chemistry a man who held a special place both in chemical science and in the hearts of his colleagues and students. A quarter century ago, a chemist could hardly con sider himself worthy of the profession without good acquaintance with the standard texts and reference works Dr. Furman had written or edited. While his intellectual product thus had broad effect on a great part of the chemical world, the additional influence of his personality was exerted on students at Princeton who re member him as an excellent teacher; he influ enced his many graduate students permanently with his calmly exacting principles of careful research work. Dr. Furman was President of the American Chemical Society in 1951, and was a very special president. That year the American Chemical Society held its Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Dr. Furman had been nominated by petition to stand for election against the two chemists nomi nated by the usual procedure. After he was elected there was concern in some quarters that this quiet, almost shy college professor might lack the force of public presence desirable in the ACS President who was to reign over the Dia mond Jubilee pageantry. It was gratifying to
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observe that he carried himself with a grace, firm assurance, and sound sense of proportion that made a lasting mark in the minds of those who took part in the ceremonies of that jubilee year. He proved himself a literate man with a mild but acute sense of humor that proved invaluable in difficult committee situations and warmed any audience hearing him. Dr. Furman combined excellence of teaching with eminence in scientific research in a fashion much sought after today. His contributions to the Manhattan Project during World War II were notable. While his services to the American Chemical Society reached their peak with his presidency in 1951, he had a history of productive work with the ACS, including divisional leadership and service on the editorial boards of journals. N. Howell Furman's 40 years of service in the sci entific world were filled with the best spirit and tradition of the scientist-scholar.
AUG.
9, 1965
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7
