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streets of Boston and over to M.I.T. where
he was an eminent professor of mathematics and engineering. He went to
Europe at least once a year and when, about 1912, he had completed his
fiftieth round trip, he was cited in the newspapers for the
unusual achievement.
From a worldly point of view Uncle William was the most
distinguished member of the family. According to Who's Who
he was a pioneer in technical instruction, author of scientific
papers and books, and Secretary of the American Academy of Arts and
Sciences for over twenty years. In 1878 he represented the American
Society of Civil Engineers at the Paris Exposition and was
elected a member of the French Society of Civil Engin-eers, made
honorary president of the Paris Congress of Archi-tects, honorary vice
president of the Congress of Hygiene, and honorary president of the
engineering section of the French Association for the Advancement of
Science. This latter honor was repeated in 1881, 1883, and
1889. Also in 1889 he became vice president of the International
Congress of Construction which was presided over by
his friend Eiffel for whom the tower in Paris was
named.
Other learned societies he belonged to included the National Academy of
Cherbourg, the Berlin Society of Industrial Engin- eers, the American
Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the American Society for the
Advancement of Science which made him a fellow.
His many Atlantic crossings do not seem unreasonably exces- sive in view
of all this. |
