Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/500

 152 Journal of American Folk- Lore.

" Scholars the world over are appreciative of the achievements of the late Daniel Garrison Brinton, for he established on a firm basis the branches of learning to which he devoted his life. He is justly named the ' Founder of American Anthropology.'

A close student of the intricate problems of his science, he possessed the rare art of clearly and concisely presenting facts at their true values. He believed in " the general inculcation of the love of truth, scientific, verifiable truth," and that knowledge should subserve usefulness.

A keen observer, a classical scholar, an adept in the methods of logic and philosophy, Dr. Brinton had ever the practical application of truth in view. To the systematic study of man he brought to bear his all rounded culture to further the happiness and fulness of the individual life. He regarded the individual as the starting-point and goal of anthropology. Upon individual improvement, he claimed, depended group or racial im- provement, social amelioration, and the welfare of humanity.

Anthropology, the new Science of Man, in Dr. Brinton's own words, " is the study of the whole of man, his psychical as well as his physical nature, and the products of all his activities, whether in the past or in the present."

This broad comprehension indicates the significance of anthropological study. Its limits of attainment are limited only by the nature of man him- self, and Dr. Brinton asks, " Who dares set a limit to that ? "

Although the youngest of the modern sciences, anthropology is none the less one of the most important of the sciences, for in its development is bound closely the progress of society. To carry out the aims of anthropo- logy are required the results obtained from the study of ethnography, ethno- logy, psychology, folk-lore, and archaeology, — more especially prehistoric archaeology, which concerns itself not only with the ancient, but with " the simplest " and " most transparent and therefore the most instructive."

Notwithstanding the extension of this work in America, comparatively few professorships of anthropology or its branches exist, and the limited opportunity afforded students to qualify themselves for investigation in these various subjects is manifest. Dr. Brinton pointed out the insuffi- ciency of facilities for students to acquire the necessary preliminary train- ing to fit them for research, and he advocated and urged that anthropology should be studied generally in our colleges. Provost Harrison referred to this in his address at the Brinton Memorial Meeting held in Philadelphia in January last, and stated that Dr. Brinton had the utmost confidence in anthropology as a science and also in its practical worth as an applied sci- ence in politics, education, and legislation.

It is proposed in recognition of the great services he rendered to the world by his teachings, numerous publications, and untiring zeal in un- earthing the false and proclaiming the true, to establish in his memory a Brinton Chair of American Archaeology and Ethnology in the University of Pennsylvania.

This proposition has received the universal commendation and approval of anthropological scholars both in Europe and America.

At the Memorial Meeting the plan was favorably mentioned, and grate-

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