1890

Clifton S. Humphreys died December 23, in Madison, Maine. He was a loyal and enthusiastic alumnus and for several years has been Class Agent of '90. There will be an obituary in In Memoriam.

Grover sent a Christmas card from Oberlin, and a very interesting letter which I know will be enjoyed by his friends who have inquired about him. He says:

"Is it possible that there are only seven of us left? Ours must have been a strenuously living class, for my St. Johnsbury Academy Class of 1886 has seventeen members still active.

"I am glad to say that life is still good to me, my health excellent, my wife a comfort and helper, my interests keen.

"Although I retired from teaching in 1933, I have kept busy in botanical research and work in the college herbarium nearly every day. During the past year I have been collaborating in the preparation of Flora of Ohio, sponsored by the Ohio Academy of Science. I am also doing considerable work with other herbaria in the U. S. and Canada since our herbarium is one of the largest college (not university) herbaria in the country, and is widely called upon for loan material by botanists doing taxonomic research.

"To occupy some of my spare time I have been acting as consultant in some research on the Pleistocene climates of Mexico and the Southwest United States, research being carried on here and at Yale University. It is a special field called Palymology or pollen analysis. Tibo inch borings are sunk through the sediments and the cases obtained are studied for the fossil pollen present. Since different families and some genera of plants can be recognized by their pollen, we can learn what the successive flora were and through that the changes in climate.

"I also find time for some civic activities. It all serves to keep me happy and feeling that I can still be of some service."

Secretary and Treasurer South Acton, Mass.