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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
Alice King, Deputy Registrar

April 5, 1924.

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

Dear Mr. Van Patten

The Faculty of Applied Science
desires to have the enclosed note regarding the late
Professor Nicol inserted in the Doomsday Book.

Yours very truly,
WE McNeill

WEM/IM.
Enc.1.

RE LATE PROFESSOR WILLIAM NICOL

After a long and painful illness, William Nicol, M.A.,
LL.D., for twenty-five years professor of Mineralogy in Queen's
University, died February 24, 1924. He was born at Cataraqui,
Ontario, on February 18th 1861. He was educated in the public
and high schools of Kingston, entered Queen's University in
1879, and was graduated with honours in Chemistry in 1883. Three
years later he took the degree of Master of Arts with honours
in Natural Science. After two years teaching at Guelph Collegiate
Institute, he proceeded to Heidelberg, Germany, to pursue
post-graduate study in Mineralogy. In 1891 he was appointed
Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Queen's University, and
in 1893, with the establishment of the School of Mining, was
transferred to the Chair of Mineralogy, which he held till his
illness forced retirement from active service in 1916.

His untiring energy, his unbounded enthusiasm, his
love for his Alma Mater, and his unflagging interest in his
students, did much to build up the School of Mining in its early
years, and to establish a reputation for sound training in
Mining and Geology.

The development of a Mineralogical Museum and
mineral collections for student instruction, most of which was
the result of his personal efforts, together with the magnificent
gift of Nicol Hall to provide facilities for the study of
Mining and Metallurgy, are evidences of his profound interest in
the welfare of his Alma Mater.