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Queen's University
Kingston, Canada

Bruce Taylor, D.D., LL.D., Principal
W.E. McNeill, M.A., PhD., Registrar and Treasurer

April 1, 1924.

Mr N. Van Patten,
Librarian,
Queen's University

Dear Mr. Van Patten:

At a meeting of Senate held today
the following resoltuion was passed with reference to the
late Professor Nicol and ordered to be inscribed in the
Domesday Book:

The Senate of Queen's University desires
to place on record its sense of the distinguished
services rendered to the University by
Professor William Nicol, LL.D. whose death occurred
on February 23.

This son of Queen's and Kingston was
an all round student winning prizes in History and
French, but his special interest and delight was the
out-of-door world. In his student days at Queen's
he tested his powers in Chemistry and the different
branches of Natural Science, winning the Gold Medal
in Chemistry, the Silver Medal in Natural Science,
and the Gowan Prize in Botany, and finally after
some time spent in Germany under the famous
Goldschmitt of Freiburg gave himself to the study
of Mineralogy. By his extra-ordinary diligence and
devotion he succeeded in making that department famous
all over Canada and beyond.

Absorbed though he was in his subject
he exerted himself to widen the influence of his
Alma Mater and with his first wife (Miss Forbes of
Guelph) planned to erect a building, which she did
not live to see, where Mineralogy might be adequately
handled. The "Nicol Building" is a monument to
their loyalty and seal.

It was a great loss to the University when
Professor Nicol was compelled through illness to
give up his Chair, and we extend to Mrs. Nicol, his
faithful helpmeet through his long period of
enforced inactivity our deepest sympathy in her
bereavement.

Yours very truly,
WE McNeill

WEM/IM.