Charles Bessey, Letters, 1891

information regarding Protococcus that you gave me. I have myself come to the same opinion as your letter stated. I ought to have known about Protococcus long ago, but am ashamed to say I did not. I have just had gas put in my laboratory so think now I feel in pretty good shape having water at hand also. '94 & '95 had a rush the 2nd inst. much to the horror of the older members of the faculty and to the amusement of some of the younger ones. I concluded that at the next similar occasion I should go off and hide. I received the package of excerpts some time ago, for which my thanks. My regards to Mr. Woods & Prof. Barbour. Respectfully H. W. Norris

Iowa College Stone Chair of Natural History

Grinnell, Iowa, Nov 21, 1891 Prof. C.E. Bessey Lincoln, Neb. Dear Sir- Yours of some time ago received I recently ordered imported 10 Leitz microscopes to cost 70 marks, 25c per mark What do you think of Bausch & Lomb's new small Continental Stand? Their agent called on me some time ago. He didn't know his business very well, but I liked some of the stands he had. He said he sold you 24 small Continentals. I didn't buy any of [hims] I have succeeded in having my work lengthened to three years or 9 terms. At present I am in distraction. I had planned to have the work begin with the Soph. year, and the committee so recommended. But the Chem. prof. whose work now begins with the Freshman year wants to pull me down one year and push himself up one. The scientific freshmen number about 35. That would make a class of about 50 in beginning biology if I began with freshman year. Well I couldn't begin to accomodate that many and the prof. knows it. He can accomodate easily 100 in his laboratory. But

2 he proposes that I devote the first year to lectures & text-book work (which I will not do), such as is done in high schools. So he was a biological prof himself once and did diametrically opposite to what he proposes I shall do. I think he is trying "to work me." He in fact wishes to carry the idea that chemistry needs more mature minds than biology. I hardly think he can force the matter over my protest but if he does I shall need to seek for pastures new. He cites those elementary courses in Botany and Zoology in Freshman year at Harvard. I have made out a list of prominent western colleges and universities and very few indeed of them dabble in such kind of Unnatural History. Can you give me any advice on the subject? What has become of my paper on Grindelia? Delayed on account of the plates I suppose. Have you noticed who succeeded Coulter at Nebraska? M. B. Thomas, a Cornell graduate of '90. He was a chum of mine at Cornell, but he doesn't know much beyond Histological Botany. I am having a good time on the whole. I enjoy my work. No jar or disturbance has occurred yet. I am extremely busy though. Tho I like my work here still there are many little things that render

my path not as smooth as it might be. I have to be constantly on my guard lest I offend some one or destroy my own self-respect. If my course of study turns out unsatisfactory I shall be ready to throw up the sponge. The following schedule represents my plan of work: Biology\Animal 2 terms \ Plant 1 term (Botany up to Pteridophytes Botany-Structural 1 term (Pteridophyta & Anthophyta) Physiology-laboratory work 1 term Geology 1 term (at present) Mammialian Anatomy - Histology 1 tern Morphology & [Eruhyology] 2 terms Besides this, individual work in systematic Botany & Zoology where wanted. Please criticise freely. It is not ideal, if it were it wouldn't fit into our curriculum With best wishes, H.W.Norris Norris

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