The career of a research chemist

✍ Scribed by Leo H. Baekeland

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1940
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 133 KB
• Volume: 230
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0016-0032
• DOI: 10.1016/s0016-0032(40)90727-x

✦ Synopsis

Ladies and Gentlemen:

In the year I87I, when I was about eight years old and a pupil in the public schools of the city of Ghent, Belgium, our teacher fascinated us by reciting the glorious life of Benjamin Franklin. I dared not dream, then, that some day The Franklin Institute would invite me to receive its foremost honor: The Franklin Medal.

In I882 I was admitted as a student at the University of Ghent. I had already followed the free evening lectures on chemistry and physics offered by the city of Ghent in a public institution similar to the Cooper Institute of New York. These lectures were well frequented by men, young and old, who desired to improve their knowledge. When I was old enough to enter the University, this preliminary knowledge put me decidedly ahead of my fellow students; although they were older than myself.

While still an undergraduate student I obtained the government position of lecture assistant in chemistry. This gave abundant opportunity to do laboratory work and experiments. Furthermore, I received some income by tutoring backward students whose rich parents could afford the expense.