Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 47.djvu/564

550 New Haven for popular lectures on scientific subjects to mechanics.

In 1830 he was appointed to a lectureship in natural history at Yale, which he held till 1847. In the winter of 1832-'33 he investigated the culture of sugar cane and the manufacture of sugar in the Southern States, his results being incorporated in Prof. Silliman's report to the Secretary of the Treasury.

His investigation in the sugar States led to his appointment, in 1834, as Professor of Chemistry in the South Carolina Medical College, at Charleston. This position required his residence in the South for only part of the year, so that he was able to continue his lectures at Yale and to accept, in 1835, an appointment as associate to Dr. James G. Percival on the Geological Survey of Connecticut.

It was in the darkest hours of Amherst College, in December, 1844, that Prof. Edward Hitchcock was raised to the presidency of that institution, and in order to provide for the partial vacancy thus created in his department, Charles U. Shepard, of New Haven, was elected Professor of Chemistry and Natural History, this election "to take effect provided Prof. Hitchcock accepts the presidency." Both appointments were accepted. Prof. Shepard entered upon his new duties in the following year. Only two years were needed under President Hitchcock's able management to restore prosperity to the college. Prof. Shepard, being then satisfied that Amherst would be able to afford him a permanent field of labor, severed his connection with Yale and offered to bring his valuable collections to Amherst if the college would house them in a fireproof building and consider the purchase of them when it was able. This proposition was gladly accepted.

His professorship was divided in 1852, when the college became able to have a separate Professor of Chemistry. Prof. Shepard continued to deliver the lectures on natural history till 1877, when he was made professor emeritus. After leaving Amherst his northern home was at New Haven for the rest of his life.

The following history of the growth of Prof. Shepard's collections was written by him for the History of Amherst College, at the request of Dr. Tyler:

"My mineralogical cabinet was commenced at the age of fifteen, while a member of the Providence Grammar School, and was brought with me when I left Brown University to join the sophomore class of Amherst institution in 1821. An early visit after my arrival here to the tourmaline and other localities of Chesterfield and Goshen served to increase my eagerness as a collector, and at the same time placed me in possession of