ALEXANDER  REID  WHITEHILL


Alexamlcr  Rciil  Whiti'liill  is  a  Ponnsyl-
vanian  by  birth  and  a  Wost  Virginian  by
adoption.  H(>  was  born  in  Beaver  County,
Pa.,  witliin  a  few  miles  of  tlie  West  Vir-
f^inia  Hue.  His  preparatory  education
was  olitained  in  tlio  pul^lie  seliools  of  his
native  county  and  at  Beaver  Academy  and
hi.s  collegiate  education  at  Princeton  Uni-
versity. On  graduation  from  this  cele-
brated institution  he  received  the  degree  of
A.B.  and  later  he  was  awai-ded  the  degree
of  A.M.
In  a  competitive  examination  in  his
senior  year  he  was  awarded  the  Experi-
mental Science  Fellowship  and,  in  accord-
ance with  its  requirements,  he  went  to  Ger-
many the  yeai-  after  graduation  and  spent
sunic  1inie  at  the  School  of  Mines  at  Frei-
licr^  and  at  the  University  of  Leipsic.  Be-
fore retuiniiiL;  to  this  country  he  visited
nearly  every  country  ami  laini'  city  in
Europe.
After  his  return  from  Europe  he  spent
four  years  in  scientitic  and  journalistic
work  in  Nevada  and  California  and  then
came  to  West  Virginia  to  be  near  his  old
home.
After  serving  four  years  as  Principal  of
Linsly  Institute  at  Wheeilug  he  was  elect-
ed Professor  of  Chemistry  in  West  Virginia
University.  When  he  came  to  this  institu-
tion there  was  only  one  class  in  chemistry
wilh  lo  students,  and  now  there  are  a
dozen  classes  and  more,  and  in  these  sev-
I'ral  hundred  students  are  annually  eu-
lolled.  An  entire  college  building  is  now
occupied   by   these   classes.
In  recognition  of  his  scholarship  and
ability  in  the  year  1888  the  honorary  de-
gree of  I'h.D.  was  conferred  upon  Professor
Whitehill  by  the  trustees  of  Washington
and    .Jefferson   College.
