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About Yale Alumni Magazine | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 1898)
Vou. VEiE=' Note NEW HAVEN, CONN., THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1898. Prick Tren Cents, IMPORTANT GIFT 10 YALE. Professor Marsh Presents His Scien= tific Collections to the University. At the meeting of the Yale Corpora- tion;: held onthe . 13th ist. ©).-C. Marsh, Professor of Paleontology, for- mally presented to the University the valuable scientific collections belonging to him, now deposited in the Peabody Museum. These collections, six: in number, are in many respects the most extensive and valuable of any in the country, and have been brought to- gether by Professor Marsh at great labor and expense, during the last thirty years. The paleontological col- lections are well known, and were mainly secured by Professor Marsh during his explorations in the Rocky Mountains. They include most of the type specimens he has described in His various publications. The collection of osteology and that of American arche- ology are also extensive and of great interest. The present value of all these collections makes this the most impor- tant gift to natural science that Yale has yet received. At the same meeting, the Yale Cor- poration accepted Professor Marsh’s gift by a unanimous vote, and expressed their high appreciation of his gener- osity to the University. Professor Marsh’s letter accompany- ing his deed of gift is essentially as follows: “To the President and Fellows of Yale University. : GENTLEMEN:—It is thirty years and more since Mr. George Peabody estab- lished at Yale, by a gift of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, the Museum that now bears his name. This was in 1866, the year I began my work as Professor of Paleontology, and I se- cured this gift mainly with a view of building up a Department of Paleon- tology that should be a school of origi- nal research as well as one of instruc- tion. The collections of natural history which I had thus brought together were subsequently deposited in the Peabody Museum, and from that time I have endeavored in every way to increase these collections, so that at present they are in many respects the most extensive and valuable in this country. “Tt has always been part of my plan that these scientific collections should eventually become the property of Yale University, and from the first I pro- vided in my will for such a disposition of them. As it now seems probable that I may not be able to carry out my original intentions in regard to a De- partment of Paleontology at Yale, I have decided to present these collec- tions to the University, subject only to certain conditions that appear neces- sary for their permanent care and preservation. The deed of gift, which I herewith enclose, bears the date of January Ist, 1808. : SIX SCIENTIFIC COLLECTIONS. “These various collections, now de- posited in the Peabody Museum in New Haven, include six of special importance which may be briefly de- scribed as follows:— (1) The Collection of Vertebrate Fossils. This is the most important and valu- able of all, as it is very extensive, con- tains a very large number of type speci- mens, many of them unique, and is widely known from the descriptions already published. In extinct Mam- mals, Birds, and Reptiles, of North special local interest. _ America, this series stands pre-eminent. “This collection was pronounced by Huxley, who examined it with care in 1876, to be surpassed by no other in the world. Darwin, in 1878, expressed a strong desire to visit America for the sole purpose of seeing this collection. Since then it has been more than dou- bled in size and value, and still holds first rank. The bulk of this collection has been secured in my western explo- rations, which have extended over a period of nearly thirty years, during which I have crossed the Rocky Moun- tains twenty-seven times. “(2) The Collection of Fossil Footprints. These specimens are mainly from the Connecticut Valley, and thus have a They also form one of the most extensive and complete collections of the kind in this country, if not the most valuable of all. “(3) The Collection of Invertebrate Fossils. This includes a large number of interesting specimens from many formations and localities, both in this country and in Europe. Some of these fossils I collected myself, but the great- er number were secured by purchase. Among the series of specimens espe- cially valuable may be mentioned sev- eral thousand from the famous Mazon Creek locality in Illinois; a very exten- sive collection of Crinoids from Craw- fordsville in Indiana; the largest col- lection of nearly entire Trilobites yet discovered; and one of the rarest series of Silurian Sponges known, including important type specimens. “(4) The Collection of Recent Osteology. ‘This is believed to be the most com- plete collection in this country for pur- poses of study. I have made special efforts for many years to secure the skeletons of rare existing vertebrates from every part of the world, particu- larly of Mammals, Birds, and Reptiles. The collection is especially rich in Anthropoid Apes, the Gorillas being represented by no less than thirteen individuals, and the other genera by rare characteristic specimens. “(5) The Collection of American Arche- ology and Ethnology. This collection is the best in the country in - several branches of the science, being particu- larly rich in Central American antiqui- ties, several thousand specimens in number and many of them unique. Some of these I obtained myself in Central America, and among the others is the famous de Zeltner collection, rich in gold ornaments, which I secured by purchase. The specimens from Mexico are also of great interest, and the series is a representative one. It includes the well-known Skilton col- lection. _ “(6) The Collection of Minerals. This is a limited collection, but contains many valuable specimens, among them probably the most interesting series known of Nova Scotian Zeolites. These were mainly collected by myself, before I graduated at Yale, during six expe- ditions to Nova Scotia. “The three principal collections in the above series, numbered 1, 4, and 5 have practically no other reptesenta- tives at Yale, and hence their impor- ‘tance to this institution. “Besides the six main collections named, I have several others of less value, which include fossil plants, casts of fossils, geological specimens, and recent zoological material. These, also, are deposited in the Peabody Museum, and are covered by the present deed of gilt. * * * * * * “On learning of the acceptance of this gift on the part of the Corporation of Yale University, with the conditions stated in the accompanying deed, I will make the formal transfer to them of all the collections above named. Very respectfully, O. C. Marsa. Yale University, January 1; 1808.” CONDITIONS OF THE GIFT. The conditions on which Professor Marsh gives his invaluable collections to Yale University, for the benefit of all departments of the University, are few in number, the more important being the following:— “(1) The scientific collections I now ‘give to Yale University shall be kept in the present Peabody Museum build- - ing or in additions thereto equally safe from fire. “(2) During my life, these collec- tions shall remain, as now, under my supervision and control, available for my own investigation and description, or for the work of others designated by me. “(3) At my decease, and forever after, these collections shall be under the charge of the Trustees of the Pea- body Museum and their successors, and in the special custody of Curators recommended by them and appointed by the Corporation of Yale University. “(4) The type specimens and others of special importance in these collec- tions shall not be removed from the Museum building. Less valuable speci- mens, however, especially duplicates, may be so removed by vote of the Trustees of the Museum.” SCIENTIFIC VALUE OF THE GIFT. From a scientific point of view, the value of the collections now presented to Yale is beyond price, each one con- taining many specimens that can never be duplicated, and are already of his- torical interest in the annals of science. Among the prominent features of one of these collections, that of extinct ver- tebrates, may be mentioned (1) the series of fossils illustrating the gene- alogy of the horse, as made out by Professor Marsh, and accepted by Huxley, who used it as the basis of his New York lectures; (2) the Birds with teeth, nearly two hundred indi- viduals, described in Professor Marsh’s well-known monograph “QOdontorni- thes’; (3) the gigantic’ Dinocerata, several hundred in number, Eocene mammals described in his monograph on this group; (4) the Brontotheridae, huge Miocene mammals, some two hundred in number; (5) Pterodactyles, or flying dragons, over six hundred in number; (6) the Mosasaurs, or Cre- taceous sea-serpents, represented by more than fifteen hundred individuals; (7) a large number of Dinosaurian rep- tiles, some of gigantic size. Besides these are various other groups of Mam- mals, Birds, and Reptiles, most of them including unique specimens. RESOLUTIONS. OF THE YALE CORPORA- TION. ee The resolutions of the Corporation of Yale University, accepting Professor Marsh’s gift, and showing their appre- ciation of his services to the University, are given below:— “Yale University, January 13, 1808. The President and Fellows, having received a deed of gift from Professor Othniel C. Marsh, presenting to the University his very valuable collections now in the Peabody Museum, which represent the labor of many years on his part and also the expenditure of a large amount from his personal for- tune, desire, as they accept the gift, to communicate to him, and to place on record, an expression of their grateful acknowledgment of his generosity. “In this grateful acknowledgment they are confident that all the gradu- ates and friends of Yale will unite, when they learn of this most recent manifestation of his long-continued interest in the University, even as they already fully appreciate the unselfish devotion of his: time, his talents, and his energies, for more than thirty years, to the scientific researches which have ° given him such personal distinction and have brought such renown to the institution. TimotHy Dwicnat, ~ President.” The legal transfer to Yale University of all the scientific collections above mentioned has since been made by Professor Marsh. ANNIVERSARY COMMITTEE, The Corporation’s Choice of Men for This Purpose. The Yale Corporation, at its meet- ing, January 13, took the first formal step for the celebration of Yale’s two- hundredth anniversary; in October, 1901. This step was the appointment of the committee in whose hands will be all the arrangements for the cele- bration. This committee was chosen as follows: First, the three following officers of the University, ex-officio: President Timothy Dwight, ’49; Mr. W. W. Far- nam, 66, Treasurer of the University; Prof. F. B. Dexter, ’61, Secretary of the Corporation. Next to these, as ‘particularly representing the ‘Faculty and as peculiarly fitted for such service, the names were added of Professor ' George P. Fisher, Dean of the Theo- logical School; Professor George J. Brush, Director of the Sheffield Sci- entific School, and Professor Francis Wayland, Dean of the Law School. Hon. Henry E. Howland, ’54, of New Yor: Rev. De. Charles: K 4Palmer, 55. of New Haven, and the Hon. E. G. Mason, ’60, of Chicago, were chosen from the Corporation itself. The rest of the committee is made up from the graduate list, though it includes two members of the Faculty. The names as follows: Mr. Payson Meririll, New York; Mr. George C. Holt, 66, New York; Mr. Thomas Hooker, 69, New Haven; Mr. W. L. McLane, 69, New York; Mr. Thomas Thacher, ’71, New York; Mr. Charles Hopkins Clark, ’71, Hartford; Prof. Theodore S. Woolsey, ’72, New Haven; Mr. Samuel R. Betts, 775; Mr. Frederick W. Vanderbilt, ’76S., New York; Pro- fessor John C. Schwab, ’86, New Ha- — ven; Mr. Harry P. Whitney, ’o4, New York; Mr. William Sloane, ’95, New York. | The committee will soon meet to lay out the general program of work. <> > > i <8 Wale Hockey Schedule. The management of the Yale Hockey team have announced the following schedule: January 20th, New Jersey Athletic Club at the Claremont Avenue Rink, Brooklyn; January 22d, Harvard at Lake Whitney; January 26th, Mont- clair Athletic Club at Claremont Avenue Rink; January 29th, Brown at the Claremont Avenue Rink;_ February 5th, Columbia at the St. Nicholas Rink, New York City; February 12th, Har- vard at Cambridge. There will be another game with Brown, the date and location of which has not- yet been determined. The team practices at Lake Whitney whenever it is possible to do so.
