San Francisco Call, Volume 106, Number 128, 6 October 1909 — DEAN OF BERKELEY FACULTY SUCCUMBS [ARTICLE]

DEAN OF BERKELEY FACULTY SUCCUMBS

Professor Irving Stringham Dies After Illness of More ; Than a Year

BERKELEY," Oct. s.— Prof .'." Irving Stringham, .aged 62 years, for 27 years the head of the department of mathematics ;at the University of California and who for the last three weeks, since the departure of President Wheeler, has been acting as executive head of the -institution, died early this morning after an illness of a year. ' ' ,■■ ■ : '.' ■'■ '. '

Few men in the university faculty held the respect of his colleagues and friends as did Irving Stringham. He was foremost in his work; as a teacher and was an authority on the several branches of- mathematics" as well "as an author, his -revision of Smith's algebra being a common school book for the' preparatory schools. He was among the oldest members' of the faculty. WAS DEAN OP FACULTIES

As dean of the, faculties of the university, under the new scheme put into operation shortly before the departure of Doctor Wheeler as Roosevelt exchange professor to deliver lectures at the University of Berlin, Professor Stringham wjis acting president. During the "last two., weeks "Professor Stringham had been confined to his bed at his, home at 2250; Prospect street and Sunday afternoon was removed to the Alpha Bates j local' sanatorium for an operation. 'Doctors Moffltt, Burnham and Terry were called in. An incision was made, but the patient grew so weak that the. operation was postponed,^ but the. scholar^ rapidly sank and last night lost consciousness and" died a£ daybreak this morning. Uraemic poisoning was pronounced the direct cause. .-,.- Professor Stringham is survived by a. widow, Mrs. Martha Day Stringham, and three children, Harriet Day, a student of the university; Martha and Roland Irving Stringham. A sister, Mrs. A. E. Sexton of Topeka, -Kan., is the only survivor of the family of nine children of which Professor Stringham ' was the youngest. Frank D. Stringham, city attorney of this city, is a nephew. Professor Stringham was born in Yorkshire, N.. V.. December 10, 1547. He removed to Topeka, Kans., when a young man and - attended Washburn college In that city from 1866 to 1873 and was graduated from Harvard at the age of 30 years with a degree of bachelor of arts in 1877. I He took a post graduate course in mathematics- at Johns Hopkins for three years, the last two of which he. was a fellow in the institution. In ISBO \ he went. to L>eipsig as a Parker fellow from Harvard and remained, abroad for two years, winning his degree of doctor of philosophy. He- also studied In Spain in 1887 and in Paris ' from 1889 to 1900.

In 1882 under the presidency of Doctor Reid he was chosen as head of the department of mathematics of the university, filling a post which had been vacant f for over a year. He has continued as head of, this department since that time, AUTHORITY OJT MATHEMATICS

Aside \ from his executive work in connection with his position as head of the faculties of the university and his classroom work Professor Stringham found time to devote to writing and his contributions to mathematics have been notable. He was author of the Unlplanar algebra published in 1893 and was editor of the American edition of Smith's algebra, a common school book.

He was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa scholarship society and the Sigma XI, the scientific organization, besides being a member of the American Society for the Advancement of Science and of the American mathematical society and a score of kindred associations. He was also' a member of the University and Schoolmasters' clubs of San Francisco.

Although Prof. George C. Edwards Is in the direct line of promotion," on account of ill health It is unlikely that he will be appointed head of the department of mathematics to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Professor Stringham.^ .

Prof. M. H. Haskell, who has won a reputation for being a thorough scholar, lis looked upon here as the logical successor to the venerable dean." The vacancy in any case will not "be filled until the return of Doctor Wheeler next April.

By . order lof succession Prof. Alexis F.: Lange, dean of the colleges of social science and letters and of the graduate division, will fill Professor Stringham's place as acting president until the actual head of the university returns, Frof.'r Bernard Moses, however, represented the university for the Taft celebration. .

The" part ' that the university will take-in the funeral of the late acting president will be announced tomorrow. The services will be held; from the Stringham residence* Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Rev. Edward | Lamb Parsons, rector of the St. Mark's Episcopal .. church r of this " city, • officiating. Interment will be private. '