William J. Beal
Encyclopedia
William James Beal was an American
botanist.
, Michigan
, to William and Rachel (Comstock) Beal, and he married Hannah Proud in 1863. He attended the University of Michigan
, which gave him an A.B. degree in 1859 and an A.M. degree in 1862; he also received an S.B. degree from Harvard University
, 1865, an M.S. degree from the University of Chicago
, 1875, and a number of honorary degrees.
He served as professor of botany at the University of Chicago in 1868-70, then went on to Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University
), where he was a professor of botany (1871-1910), and curator of the museum (1882-1903). He also served as director of the state Forestry Commission (1889-1892).
Beal was the founder of MSU's W. J. Beal Botanical Garden
, the oldest continuously operated botanical garden in the United States. He was one of the pioneers in the development of hybrid corn. He was the author of The New Botany, Grasses of North America, and History of Michigan Agricultural College. In1879 he started one of the most long running experiments in botany. He filled 20 bottles with a mix of sand and seeds with each bottle containing 50 seeds from 21 species of plant. Then the bottles were buried, their necks pointing down so that water wouldn't get in. The idea was that the bottles should be dug up at fixed intervals, and the seeds planted to see how many of them would sprout. This experiment is still running, with the next bottle due to be dug up in 2020, with the end of the study due in 2100. The goal is to see how long we can keep seeds before they will not grow.
In 1887, he and Professor Rolla C. Carpenter
created "Collegeville", the first neighborhood in what later became East Lansing
.
He retired to Amherst
, Massachusetts
, and died there in 1924.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
botanist.
Biography
Beal was born in AdrianAdrian, Michigan
As of the 2010 census Adrian had a population of 21,133. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 84.1% white, 4.4% black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 5.9% from some other race and 4.0% from two or more races...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, to William and Rachel (Comstock) Beal, and he married Hannah Proud in 1863. He attended the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, which gave him an A.B. degree in 1859 and an A.M. degree in 1862; he also received an S.B. degree from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, 1865, an M.S. degree from the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, 1875, and a number of honorary degrees.
He served as professor of botany at the University of Chicago in 1868-70, then went on to Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
), where he was a professor of botany (1871-1910), and curator of the museum (1882-1903). He also served as director of the state Forestry Commission (1889-1892).
Beal was the founder of MSU's W. J. Beal Botanical Garden
W. J. Beal Botanical Garden
The W. J. Beal Botanical Garden is a botanical garden located on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. It is claimed to be the oldest continually-maintained university botanical garden in the United States, and is open to the public without charge year round during...
, the oldest continuously operated botanical garden in the United States. He was one of the pioneers in the development of hybrid corn. He was the author of The New Botany, Grasses of North America, and History of Michigan Agricultural College. In1879 he started one of the most long running experiments in botany. He filled 20 bottles with a mix of sand and seeds with each bottle containing 50 seeds from 21 species of plant. Then the bottles were buried, their necks pointing down so that water wouldn't get in. The idea was that the bottles should be dug up at fixed intervals, and the seeds planted to see how many of them would sprout. This experiment is still running, with the next bottle due to be dug up in 2020, with the end of the study due in 2100. The goal is to see how long we can keep seeds before they will not grow.
In 1887, he and Professor Rolla C. Carpenter
Rolla C. Carpenter
Rolla Clinton Carpenter C.E. M.M.E. LL.D. was an American engineer, academic, and writer.Carpenter was born in Orion , Michigan. He earned a B.S. in 1873 from Michigan State Agricultural College and later received additional bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Michigan in 1875...
created "Collegeville", the first neighborhood in what later became East Lansing
East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located directly east of Lansing, Michigan, the state's capital. Most of the city is within Ingham County, though a small portion lies in Clinton County. The population was 48,579 at the time of the 2010 census, an increase from...
.
He retired to Amherst
Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,819, making it the largest community in Hampshire County . The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, and died there in 1924.
Quotation
Merely learning the name of a plant or parts of a plant can no longer be palmed off as valuable training.External links
- Photo of W.J. Beal (circa 1920)
- William James Beal Society (for donors of at least $10,000 to Michigan State University)
- William J. Beal and the Botanical Garden
- Cowles House (home of W. J. Beal, now the MSU president's house)