Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 6.djvu/138

132 132 JAMES R. ROBERTSON. in Portland and as president of the Territorial University of Washington and of Whitman College. The Ancient Languages, Mathematics, and Mental and Moral Philosophy will be recognized as predominating in the instruction of the college thus far. Attention, how- ever, was paid to Science, its value was recognized, and some strong men were employed in that line. As early as 1861 to 1863 science had been taught by Professor Taft. In 1867 Prof. George H. Collier was called from a similar position in the East to have charge of the work of Chem- istry, Botany, Geology, and Mathematics. He was a na- tive of the State of New York, a graduate of Oberlin Col- lege, and of the Normal School at Albany, New York. The work in Geology, however, was soon given over to Prof. Thomas Condon, who had begun his connection with the college by a course of lectures on Geology in 1872. Later he was added to the faculty. Professor Condon was born in Ireland, but came to America as a boy. He first came to Oregon as a representative of the Home Mission- ary work and served at various places in that capacity, among others at Forest Grove. He was not only a pro- fessor in the college, but was elected as a trustee. As a scientist in the special field of geology he has become an authority, while as a teacher he inspired great interest in the subject he taught. Professor Collier and Professor Condon both resigned in 1876, the first to accept a position in Willamette University at Salem and the latter to enter the service of the State University at Eugene, with which he has been connected ever since. After the resignation of Professor Collier, Capt. R. H. Lamson, a graduate of the Naval Academy at Annapolis, was employed to teach Mathematics until the arrival of William N. Ferrin in 1877. Professor Ferrin was a native of Vermont and a graduate of the University of that State. He was a son of Rev. Clark Ferrin, and had received experience in teach-