Should Latin and Greek Be Required for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts
(
This work has been selected by scholars as being cultur...)
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
(
This work has been selected by scholars as being cultur...)
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
John James Stevenson was an American geologist, born in New York City, wrote contributions of permanent importance.
Background
John was born on October 10, 1841 in New York City, New York, United States. His father, the Rev. Andrew Stevenson, who was born in Ballylaw, Ireland, emigrated to America in 1831; his mother, Ann Mary (Willson) Stevenson, a native of Bedford, Pennsylvania, was a descendant of Zaccheus Willson who came to America in 1711.
Education
Educated in private schools in New York City and at the University of the City of New York (later New York University), from which he graduated in 1863.
In 1867, when he received the degree of Ph. D. from the University of the City of New York, he undertook professional work in western mining regions and contracted tuberculosis, from which he did not fully recover for several years.
Career
After University he first essayed teaching mathematics and natural science in the academy at Mexico, New York, but shortly resigned to take charge, in September 1864, of a school for boys at Astoria, New York. There he also edited the American Educational Monthly.
He was professor of chemistry and natural sciences in West Virginia University, 1869-71; assistant to Dr. John Strong Newberry on the geological survey of Ohio, 1871-72, and part-time professor of geology in the University of the City of New York, 1872.
In 1873 he was appointed geologist on the surveys under Col. George Montague Wheeler west of the 100th meridian, and in 1875 was assistant geologist to Prof. Peter Lesley in charge of the geological survey of Pennsylvania, where he was given charge of the work in Greene and Washington counties, and in 1876 and 1877 of Fayette and Westmoreland counties.
In 1878 he rejoined the Wheeler survey in Colorado. In 1879, 1880, and 1881 he was engaged a part of the time in expert work in southwest Virginia and New Mexico, but returned to work on the Pennsylvania survey in 1881, and became professor of geology in New York University, holding the position until 1909 when he retired as professor emeritus.
As a teacher he was eminently successful. He had in a marked degree the ability to make his subject interesting, to hold the attention of his students, and to encourage and stimulate them. In addition to his scientific papers he contributed many articles on college problems and on the place of science in education to such magazines as School and Society and Popular Science Monthly.
As a working geologist he covered a wide field, though he gave his greatest attention to stratigraphic problems and to those relating to coal. Apart from his publications in the reports of the Wheeler survey of 1875 and 1881 and in reports of the Pennsylvania survey, his best known studies are "Lower Carboniferous of the Appalachian Basin" and "Carboniferous of the Appalachian Basin"; "The Formation of Coal Beds"; and Interrelation of the Fossil Fuels (1921).
Of particular interest were his conclusions that the New Mexican coal fields were cretaceous, and that the Laramie section of King and the Fort Union of Hayden were composite successions of the cretaceous age; he showed too that each coal bed of the Pennsylvania field had peculiarities of its own by which any particular bed could be recognized over wide areas.
Although his output of work was checked by failing eyesight during his last two years, he was mentally active until the last. He died of pneumonia in New Canaan, Connecticut, in his eighty-third year.
(
This work has been selected by scholars as being cultur...)
Personality
Kindly and courteous, but incisive in expression, he was a man keenly and forcefully alert, capable of thoroughly enjoying a good fight when it was honorably conducted, whoever might be the victor. He was a good conversationalist and a delightful companion, being gifted with an unusual sense of humor.
Connections
He was twice married, first on April 13, 1865, to Mary A. McGowan, who died in 1871, and second on January 1, 1879, to Mary C. Ewing. There were three children by the first marriage and two by the second.