Texas Journal of Microscopy Texas Journal of Microscopy

TSEM ACTIVITIES
Early in my Texas adventures, Gordon Whaley, Graduate Dean
at UT Austin, told a group of us to forget any activities with “local”
societies like the Texas
Academy, etc. He said, “Work
published by local societies
counted zero with him and the
Dean of Arts and Sciences.”
Only the national scene had any
real importance. I participated
in the 2nd TSEM meeting as an
invited speaker, but for obvious
reasons I only gave a few
TSEM papers while I was in
The Cell Research Institute at
UT Austin.
Since returning to Texas in
1974, my students and I have
participated with some frequency in TSEM which is a great place
for students “to get their act together.” In 1989 I was elected President
of TSEM. Over the years I have enjoyed my interaction with
many fine Texas microscopists.
FISHING, HOBBIES, ETC.
I have always been interested
in fishing, and I fished thoughtout
my youth. Fred Pautard and
I often fished in the lakes around
Austin. I mentioned above that
I had fished in for blue fin tuna
in Nova Scotia during the 40’s.
I’ll take this chance to show the
evidence; the bluefin tuna on the
left was 139lbs, on right 515lbs;
I was twenty years old. When
Jean and I visited New Zealand,
one of the best places in the
world to fresh water fish, I made
it a point to go fishing even
though the total time I had to fish
was only 2 hours. In Lake
Rotorua, on the North Island, I hooked and landed a 7.5 lb brown
trout. This is about as lucky as you can get!
In the 80’s I became interested in
clocks. It just happened; it’s really ironic,
because I always thought Gordon
Whaley had a “screw loose” because of
the many clocks in his home. However,
he was a clock collector and I choose to
be a clock builder. I became so interested
in clocks that I joined the National Association
of Watch and Clock Collectors
(NAWCC Member No. 0061496) in
1978. Not long after we registered the
business name Colonial Clock Co. of
Arlington, TX, however, we never sold
any clocks I made.
Most clocks that I made were actually
just assembled and finished from
clock kits. A few were made from scratch but in either case the
movements were always purchased (see Fig. 14). I made around
thirty large clocks, including eight grandfather clocks; it is apparent
that my grandfather clocks are not in great demand since we
still have 5 at home. I also tried collecting clocks and even bought
a few, but the ones I wanted, like most things, always cost too
much. My favourite clock was made by the Eli Terry in Connecti-
30 Tex. J. Micros. 37:1, 2006
cut in the first
part of the 19th
century. The
clocks are called
the “Eli Terry
Pillar and Scroll
Shelf Clock.”
The pillar and
scroll motif was
duplicated my
many other
builders, including
Seth Thomas.
The price
for these clocks continues to spiral up, and the very best examples
are in museums or are not for sale. Not to get carried away, but
these clocks are examples of American innovation and style at the
very highest level. I have included a dean doodles showing the
general nature of the pillar and scroll clock. “Dean Doodles” is a
generic name for the doodles that I made over the many years of
boring meetings. I have a large collection of doodles which seems to
say I have been bored a lot. Aside from fishing and clocks I’ve not
said much about my private life choosing rather to keep on the professional
side. As a family we were pretty much on the normal side;
as normal as one can be with 4 children and 11 grandchildren.
RESIGNATION
I announced my resignation from the Dean of Science position
in a fall 1989 faculty meeting. It was done early so the College
would plenty of time to select a new dean before my departure on
Aug. 31, 1990. Near the end of my term the members of the Dean’s
Council along with Baker and Nedderman gave me a great “retirement”
party. In addition to joking and talking, they presented me
with two gifts. The first was a new personal computer. The second
was a diploma which made me an honorary member of the Dean’s
Council in perpetuity, signed by all the deans, Vice President Baker
and President Nedderman. It hangs on my wall and reminds me of
the good times and the many good friends I made. At retirement I
was the senior dean, Bob Perkins, who started a year later than me,
then became the senior dean; he retired when Baker and Nedderman
left office in 1993. There have been four Deans of Science and
three Presidents since
1990. I have yet to be
asked my advice on anything.
Like the Porsche
dealer said to the man
about to buy a 911, “If
you have to ask! Then
you don’t have enough
money!”
As a result of my retirement
I was given a
one year’s leave. Most of
the leave was spent try-