LORD RUTHERFORD

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 August 1935, Page 10

LORD RUTHERFORD

NOTES ON HIS CAREER. Following the recent death of Mrs James Rutherford, of New Plymouth, her family have been going through a large collection of the letters she had kept and some of these dealing with the life of Lord Rutherford seemed of general interest. Through the courtesy o£ tile family we hopeto publish some of those dealing with , Lord Rutherford’s early impressions (Cf Cambridge, M’Gill University Canada, Manchester University and 'his later return to Cambridge (says the “Taranaki Herald”). It seemed likely to be of value before dealing with later developments to make a brief reference to how* the future scientist was able to take the first steps on the educational ladder which led to his future success. He received his early education at the Havelock primary school, and at the i age of 151 years, in 1887, was able to win one of th& scholarships at I Nelson College, given to pupils of country schools. In this examination he gained 580 marks out of a possible 600, including full marks for arithmetic. As wo shall see later, scholarships were of great assistance in providing the future Lord Rutherford with his early education. His family was not wealthy and he might never have had his chance. When the New Plymouth High School Board last year established scholarships for country boys one of the most telling arguments. put forward in their favour by Mr W. IL Moyes, the headmaster, was that Lord Rutherford had won a similar scholarship at Nelson College in 1887. RAPID PROGRESS. A boy of such ability soon went ahead and wo learn from school reports that ho was hc id of the Vlth. form a year after entering the school, being first in every subject. Naturally ho shone in mathematics and we find such comments as: "Very quick; ;i very promising mathematician; has made very rapid progress; easily first.” The headmaster gives up the search for adjectives: "1 can say nothing jiew about him. He is top in every form. His conduct is irreproachablel." At Nelson he held the Stafford scholarship of £2O for three years: the senior classical scholarship of £2O for oue year and the Simmons prize of £6. The donors

of theso scholarships would have felt amply repaid had they survived to sec the future, career of oue of the boys who earned them. On leaving Nelson College the young Rutherford gained a Junior University Scholarship and went to Canterbury College. There he took the 8.A., M.A.. and B.Se. degrees, a Senior University scholarship and double first-class honours in mathematics and physical science (electricity and magnetism). He had even at that time don© valuable original work and war. awarded the 1851 ’ vlliid. iot) S'-holor.-’liip in ISS-1. With :hts ho went to Uam'oridgt; Uuiwri.' •< r,ii it tin- (oilowing letter hit. first impressions: —

LIKE AT CAMBRIDGE. "It may interest von to know that I have at last crossed the Rubicon and am now a regular undergraduate, or rather graduate of the University.

1 have been wailing for the hist fortnight or more to see what allowances they would make for research students, as this is the first term the regulations have come into force. Professor J. J. Thomson looked after cur interests and obtained a substantial reduction in fees and he strongly advised me to join .Trinity, which is his own college and also the best as well as the dearest in the university.

“Townsend (a New Zealander) and I went and saw the tutor of Trinity, IXIr Ball, a very courteous man, and he gave us all details of what was to bo done. Unless we joined on Monday we would lose this term, so this morning, which is the general matriculation day, as it is called, 1 went and got. a gown and cap before 8.30. Research students wear a B.A. gown without strings.

“At S.io all the freshmen of Trinity, about 200 in number, assembled in the hall and had their names read out and then trooped off to the Senate House, where they .had to sign their names in a book kept for the purpose.

“By 10 o'clock 1 was formally initiated and then had to pay £5 matriculation fee, and £l5 caution money, to be returned at the end of the university course. [To-day has been general matriculation day and more than 2000 freshmen have been enrolled.

“Trinity lias the largest number of students far and away. The entrance is not very imposing—-a narrow archway and then a big grass enclusure with college rooms all round. It is of course, very old and antiquated in appearance.

"1. have not been yet to Hall, as it is called, or rather dinner, but go tomorrow night. 1 dine at the graduates' table at 7.30 and hope to make the acquaintance of a good few of them.

‘•The expense of joining a college will not be much more than if I were a non-collegiate student, for 1 still slay in the lodgings where 1 am, but can turn up to dinner when 1 like and only pay when 1 do so. The great advantage of joining a college is of course the number of men you coine to know and the social life, which as a non-collegiate you would miss entirely. Professor Thomson strongly advised me to join and reasoned that the extra expense would not be thrown away in time to come. I got. a letter from Love, of Melbourne, to his brother at St. John’s, a lecturer there, anti a very noted mail, and fellow of the Royal Society.

CAVENDISH LABORATORY. "I havo been working steadily in the. laboratory, but have nothing very definite done. yet. 1 go to work regularly at io a.m.. lunch al l.'lu p.m. and on again until 5 o'clock. "As J am now a regular university man I have to wear a cap and gown after nightfall and on Sundays. All Cambridge men generally cut off the lower part of the gown ;o that it doesn’t reach hall’ dov. n their backs. I got mfm' second-hand, and it L mo. ' : P'. ■ :•... ■ • is ■ o i’m • ", it i- wnsidvi cd v i.-t y bad for:.i aideed to carry an timbreila or stick when in cap and gown and anyone caught smoking is lined 7/6. "Tho university here takes a tremendous lot of care of the undergraduates. They are Vcpt very restricted and well bound down by rules. They are supposed to be in by I" pin. if he lives in lodgings his"

landlady takes down the time of his arrival and sends it in regularly. If he- comes in between 10 and 11, a small fine, between 11 and 12, a' greater, and after 12 is a serious offence which is immediately reported to your tutor, who is a sort of paterfamilias oi the students. “I must explain that only a very small .proportion of the students can live in th© college itself on account of lack of room. Most of them live in lodgings with comfort proportionate to the length of their pocket. “Unless on© countermands the order, one of the college ‘gyps’ brings round your ‘commons’ every day. The ordinary commons are lib of butter per week, a small loaf and pint of milk a day. If you want anything extra you can either get it yourself and get it cooked by your landlady or get it done from th© buttery, or college kitchen. My landlady is a very decent cook, so I will probably get her to do most of my cooking.

“1 have been for several walks six miles or more from Cambridge in various directions. One comes across some very old villages with mud dr stone houses, thatched and very dilapidated, but picturesque. The great difference, one observes is the amount of cultivation one sees mound; turnips, etc., seem to be growing everywhere for the cattle and sheep. "As 1 have been working pretty

steadily at th© laboratory 1 have got. about little except on Sundays. ‘My study is a, pretty comfoirtable one and 1 have various photos. Christchurch views adorn various parts of th© loom.

"To-day has been wet and cold, but 1 have had quite- a gala day. In the i'.iternoon the Cavendish Society met, which is composed of a few of those interested in science. Two papers were read —one by a Mr Griffiths and another by Miss Marshall. The latter is doing a lot of experimental work with Professor Ramsay, the great, chemistry man. “At a second meeting of the Cavendish Society Professor Ewing gave a lit He sketch of an instrument of his. You remember Ewing's magnetism which 1 used to set. so much store by? --he is the author: a small bulletheaded, decidedly commonplace man with no distinctive air of any kind. •'My own research work is progresting satisfactory, but i< pretty slow, of course. Thomson, I think, considers my work original am! interesting, for when Lord Kelvin camo to the laboratory her' he told on© of the demonstrators he wished ho had been taken to see my work.

"1 work on the third floor of the laboratory, and have a few fellows in adjoining rooms for company. The placet is heated throughout with hotwater pipes and is quite warm all day long. The more 1 sc© of the laboratory the better 1 am pleased with itfor although it is not as well fitted up as I expected, it. has a fine collection of instruments."