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THE MELLON INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH AND S C H O O L OF SPECIFIC INDUSTRIES OF THE, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH THE DEDICATION OF THE NEW BUILDING OF THE MELLON INSTITUTE B y W. A, HAhIORl
The new $3 50,000 building which now forms the permanent home of t h e Mellon Institute of Industrial Research and School of Specific Industries of t h e University of Pittsburgh, was formally dedicated on Februa r y 2 6 , 191j . This building, the gift of blessrs. Andrew William Melion and Richard Beatty hlellon, of Pittsburgh, who consented t o allow their family name-an illustrious one in the annals of Pittsburght o be placed upon i t , possesses the strength and force characteristic of the Grecian Doric order and is dis-
FIG. I-THE
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-tinctly modern in construction and equipment, having been especially designed by the architect, hlr. J . H . Giesey, for the needs of t h e Institute.P The Chancellor of the University, Dr. Samuel Black NcCormick, presided a+, the dedication ceremonies, which took place a t 11.00 A . M . in Soldiers’ Memorial Hall, in conjunction with the annual Charter Day exercises of the University. Following the address of the day b y Dr. Rbssiter Worthington Raymond, the dean of American mining engineers, on “Knowledge and Research,” which is reprinted in full beloTv-, D r . W.J. Holland, Director of Carnegie Museum and formerly Chancellor of the University, made the presentation speech in connection with the dedication of 1
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the Mellon Institute, on behalf of Andrew W. blellon and Richard B. Mellon. the donors After a brilliant eulogy of the blessrs. hlellon and a splendid tribute t o their generosity, Dr. Holland said in p a r t : “ I n a certain sense, 9Ir. Chancellor, this building is a memorial t o Robert Kennedy Duncan. On one side of the entrance is a bronze slab inscribed with the name of Thomas Nellon, on the other side of the cntrance is a bronze slab inscribed with the name of Robert Kennedy Duncan. But, hIr, Chancellor, this splendid edifice erected upon the campus of our University is more t h a n a cenotaph. I t not merely commemorates the names and careers of those of whom
Assistant t o the Director of the Slellon Institute. See the description which follows.
RESEARCH AND
S C H O O L OF S P E C I F I C I N D C S T R I E S
I have spoken, but it is intended t o serve as the seat of advanced inquiries along scientific lines, which mill tend t o the promotion not merely of intellectual culture, b u t of industrial success, and t h a t not merely in this great ‘workshop of the world,’ where it is located, but throughout the land. I n creating this institution our dear friends have been actuated by a high and intelligent purpose. Large experience in great industrial enterprises has taught them thc importance of chemistry and physics in their applications t o the industrial arts, and they feel t h a t , wonderful as has been the progress made within the last century, there are untold mysteries in nature, which have not yet been revealed but which, if uncovered, are capable of being used for the welfare of mankind. And so
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t h e y have created a n d are t o d a y placing in t h e custody of you, gentlemen of t h e Board of Trustees, this institution, which is capable of becoming, when wisely a n d intelligently administered, a mighty implement for t h e advancement of h u m a n welfare.” D r . George H u b b a r d Clapp, President of t h e Board of Trustees of t h e University, delivered t h e speech of acceptance. He expressed appreciation of t h e gift a n d understanding of t h e importance of t h e work for which t h e building has been erected. T h e final ceremony of t h e exercises was t h e conferring of fifteen honorary degrees, as follows: DOCTOR OF LAWS
EDWARD WILLIAMSMORLEY,Honorary President of the Eighth International Congress of Applied Chemistry. JOHN ULRICNEF, Head of the Department of Chemistry of the University of Chicago. ARTHURAMOS NOYES,Professor of Theoretical Chemistry and Director of the Research Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. ROSSITERWORTHINGTON RAYMOND, Secretary Emeritus of the American Institute of Mining Engineers IRAREMSEN,Former President and Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University. THEODORE WILLIAMRICHARDS, Professor of Chemistry and Director of the Gibbs Memorial Laboratory, Harvard University.
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Samuel Black McCormick, who completed t h e t o a s t list with a n eloquent‘ response t o “ T h e University,” i n which he s t a t e d t h a t t h e gift of t h e Mellon I n s t i t u t e h a d placed a great responsibility upon t h e University of Pittsburgh as well as having been a priceless acquisition; t h a t t h e University was ready t o meet t h e responsibility a n d , he felt sure, would show t h e donors a n d t h e country a t large t h a t i t would make t h e most of t h e great benefaction. Judge Gary’s address was, i n p a r t , as follows: “ I n humankind there is a n element which is interested in, if, indeed, it does not actually enjoy reading or listening t o , adverse references t o t h e character or conduct of a n individual or association of individuals, and, b y reason of this fact, agencies for t h e collection
DOCTOR OF SCIENCE
JACOB ABEL,Professor of Pharmacology, Johns Hopkins University. GEORGE HUBBARD CLAPP,President of the Pittsburgh Testing Laboratory and of the Board of Trustees of the University of Pittsburgh. ELBERT HENRYGARY,Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the United States Steel Corporation. JOHN HAYSHAMMOND, Consulting Mining Engineer. HENRYMARIONHOWE,Emeritus Professor of Metallurgy, Columbia University. JOHN
DOCTOR OF CHEMICAL
GNGINEERING
WILLIAMHULTZWALKER, Professor of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology MILTONC. WHITAKER, Professor of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Columbia University. DOCTOR O F CHEMISTRY
CHARLES LATHROP PARSONS, Chief Mineral Chemist, United States Bureau of Mines. EDGAR FAHSSMITH,Provost University of Pennsylvania. Immediately after t h e close of t h e dedicatory exercises, t h e trustees, faculty a n d guests of t h e University met a t a luncheon in t h e University Club. T h e remainder of t h e afternoon was devoted t o a n inspection of t h e new building of t h e Mellon Institute. T h e recipients of honorary degrees were t h e guests of t h e U n h e r s i t y a t t h e annual alumni banquet held a t t h e Schenley Hotel from 6.00 t o 8.30 P.M. The speakers a t this-dinner were D r . Raymond F. Bacon, Director of t h e Mellon Institute, who responded t o “ T h e Mellon Institute;” Dr. Walther Riddle, who gave a n historical sketch of t h e department of chem€I. Gary, Chairistry of t h e University; Hon:Elbert m a n of t h e United States Steel Corporation; D r . Theodore William Richards, who spoke on “ T h e Practical Use of Research in Pure Science” a n d extended Harvard’s congratulations t o Pittsburgh upon t h e acquisition of t h e Mellon I n s t i t u t e ; a n d Chancellor
FIG. 2-Tm
LATEDR. ROBERTKENNEDYDUNCAN
a n d distribution of unfavorable comments have become more or less popular. A questionable kind of success is often realized b y t h e individual or t h e publication whose energies are devoted t o frequent a n d furious personal a t t a c k against t h e standing or t h e action of others. These efforts sometimes t a k e t h e form of individual work, investigations b y committees or commissions created b y t h e Legislatures or Congresses, or, i n exceptional cases, even b y judicial branches of Government, such as grand juries, with their inquisitorial power. Oftentimes t h e investigators are not only utterly incompetent, but t h e y are prejudiced a n d wilfully repress m a n y of t h e pertinent a n d material facts. T h e y seek t o produce for circulation a n d criti-
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cism only information calculated t o bring reproach upon t h e persons involved in t h e inquiry. N o one is exempt from these criticisms. “Circumstances seem t o show t h a t we are approaching t h e time when t h e investigator will be investigated; when the criticizer will be criticized; when committees and commissions will be brought before other similar bodies for judgment. I t would be interesting t o t h e pubIic if it could be informed of t h e real motives which have prompted some of t h e official inquiries, a n d if it could learn of t h e unfair methods which have been sometimes pursued, and if i t should know t h e amount of governmental funds which have been appropriated for t h e use of committees and how they have been disbursed; in fact, if some of those participating could be subjected t o t h e same scrutiny which they have exercised. “ T h e general attitude of the great newspapers of today is fair and just. They influence and are influenced b y the general public. They reflect the general sentiment. This is most important in considering t h e future welfare of this country. “If t h e picture which I have drawn is a true one, t h e n t h e course before us, which leads t o prosperity, success and happiness, is plain, and we will pursue i t .
FIG.3-RAYMOND
FOSS
BACON,PH.D., DIRECTOR OF THE &fELLON
IiTSTITUTli:
Vi7e must conduct affairs in our charge with t h e expectation t h a t we shall be criticized.” After t h e banquet, the new building of t h e Mellon Institute was thrown open for a reception of friends of the Institute. The rooms of the main floor were
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used for the reception, although the entire building was open for inspection. On t h e evening of February z7tEi, t h e first Mellon Lecture was delivered b y Professor John Jacob Abel, of Johns Hopkins University, in t h e assembly hall of the Institute; Dr. Abel’s subject was ‘LExperimental and Chemical Studies of the Blood and Their Bearing on Medicine.” ~-
KNOWLEDGE AND RESEARCH’ By ROSSITERWORTHINGTON RAYMOND
This notable chapter in the history of one of t h e most ancient American institutions of learning irresistibly recalls t h e situation of 1 7 8 j , the year in which the first charter of w h a t is now the University of Pittsburgh 71-as granted. T h a t was t h e year of t h e Convention which framed t h e Federal Constitution. It was notable also as practically the beginning oi two other agencies which, though derided a t t h e time, proved afterwards t o represent the most potent elements in t h e cementation of t h a t solid union founded b y t h e Constitution. For i t was in 1787 t h a t John Fitch ran his steamboat u p and down t h e Delaware; and i t vas in 1787 t h a t t h e fierce discussion of the improvements proposed. by Koah Webster may be said t o have reached its climax. T h a t controversy resulted in Webster’s Dictionary and Webster’s Spelling Bopk, which gave u s one language throughout our wide and ever wider domain. T h u s the bond of political union established b y t h e Constitution was reinforced b y t h e beginnings of internal transportation and of a common speech, without which the growth of our continental empire would scarcely have been possible. The wonderful changes effected in personal, social and national life during the century which ensued, would make a n easy theme for a n y orator who might choose t o tell t h e thrilling history of this particular region alone, beginning with t h e little group of cabins under t h e guns of Fort P i t t which constituted Pittsburgh, and tracing t h e conquest and rapid settlement of t h e Ohio valley (which was never equaled for revolutionary transformation except by the settle. ment of California under t h e special world-excitement caused b y t h e discovery of gold), t h e development of commerce and industry, the accumulation of wealth, and the concomitant advance in education, culture and fullness of individual and social life. I shall not rehearse t o you this familiar story, but I would point out the significance in such a sweeping torrent of change, of the things which abide. One of these is Pittsburgh itself. Instinctively recognized, even in our colonial period, as a strategic point, t o be defended zt all costs, i t has remained, through the astounding revolutions of its history, alJ-,-ayst h e center of power and progress, demonstrating in these later days t h a t the wealth accumulated in t h e service of m a n through smoky industries is available for man’s service also in the fair fields of science and art. And another thing t h a t abides is the conviction of t h e value of knowledge which inspired our grandfathers a n d possesses us^ They founded colleges while t h e y 3 Principal address delivered a t the Dedication of the N e w B i d d i n g of the Mellon Institute of Industrial Research and School of Specific In-
dustries of the University of Pittsburgh, February 2 6 , 1915.
