Henry Shoemaker Conard
Encyclopedia
Henry Shoemaker Conard was a leading authority on bryophytes and water lilies
, as well as an early advocate of environmental preservation. From 1906 to 1955, Professor Conard worked at Grinnell College
in Grinnell, Iowa
. In 1969, the college acquired a 365 acres (1.5 km²) plot of cropland and established the Conard Environmental Research Area
, honoring and continuing the legacy of the longtime professor.
Henry S. Conard was born September 12, 1874 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, to Thomas Pennington Conard and Rebecca Savery Baldwin Conard. He attended Friends' Select School
in Philadelphia from 1881 to 1888. He entered Westtown Friends' Boarding School in Westtown, Pennsylvania in 1889 and graduated as valedictorian
in 1892. He then enrolled at Haverford College
, where he earned a B.S. in 1895 and an M.A. in 1895. While at Haverford, he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.
After a short time teaching science in Westtown, he entered the University of Pennsylvania
as a Harrison Fellow in Biology in 1899, completing his Ph.D. in 1901 and joining Sigma Xi
. After receiving his doctorate, Dr. Conard taught botany
at the university from 1901 to 1905. From 1905 to 1906, he was a Johnston Scholar at Johns Hopkins University
.
In 1906, Dr. Conard left Johns Hopkins to take a professorship in botany at Grinnell College
. During his tenure at Grinnell, Professor Conard served as chair of the department of botany and, starting in 1935, as Chairman of the Faculty. He received emeritus faculty status in 1944. After his retirement, Professor Conard continued to be academically active, notably curating the bryophyte
collections at the University of Iowa
and running the Moss Clinic at the Iowa Lakeside Laboratory.
Dr. Conard and his wife moved in 1955 to Florida
, where they resided until his death on October 7, 1971 in Haines City, Florida
.
Nymphaeaceae
Nymphaeaceae is a family of flowering plants. Members of this family are commonly called water lilies and live in freshwater areas in temperate and tropical climates around the world. The family contains eight genera. There are about 70 species of water lilies around the world. The genus...
, as well as an early advocate of environmental preservation. From 1906 to 1955, Professor Conard worked at Grinnell College
Grinnell College
Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. known for its strong tradition of social activism. It was founded in 1846, when a group of pioneer New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College....
in Grinnell, Iowa
Grinnell, Iowa
Grinnell is a city in Poweshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,218 at the 2010 census. Grinnell was named after Josiah Bushnell Grinnell and is the home of Grinnell College.- History :...
. In 1969, the college acquired a 365 acres (1.5 km²) plot of cropland and established the Conard Environmental Research Area
Conard Environmental Research Area
The Henry S. Conard Environmental Research Area is a protected environmental research facility at outside Kellogg, Iowa. The 365-acre facility is owned and operated by Grinnell College for class use in the study of ecology and student and faculty research. The preserve is named for Henry S...
, honoring and continuing the legacy of the longtime professor.
Henry S. Conard was born September 12, 1874 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, to Thomas Pennington Conard and Rebecca Savery Baldwin Conard. He attended Friends' Select School
Friends Select School
Friends Select School is a private Quaker school in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has approximately 530 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, and focuses on college preparation in the "upper school" . With a history dating to 1689, Friends Select has been located at...
in Philadelphia from 1881 to 1888. He entered Westtown Friends' Boarding School in Westtown, Pennsylvania in 1889 and graduated as valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
in 1892. He then enrolled at Haverford College
Haverford College
Haverford College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States, a suburb of Philadelphia...
, where he earned a B.S. in 1895 and an M.A. in 1895. While at Haverford, he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.
After a short time teaching science in Westtown, he entered the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
as a Harrison Fellow in Biology in 1899, completing his Ph.D. in 1901 and joining Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society is a non-profit honor society which was founded in 1886 at Cornell University by a junior faculty member and a handful of graduate students. Members elect others on the basis of their research achievements or potential...
. After receiving his doctorate, Dr. Conard taught botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
at the university from 1901 to 1905. From 1905 to 1906, he was a Johnston Scholar at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
.
In 1906, Dr. Conard left Johns Hopkins to take a professorship in botany at Grinnell College
Grinnell College
Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. known for its strong tradition of social activism. It was founded in 1846, when a group of pioneer New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College....
. During his tenure at Grinnell, Professor Conard served as chair of the department of botany and, starting in 1935, as Chairman of the Faculty. He received emeritus faculty status in 1944. After his retirement, Professor Conard continued to be academically active, notably curating the bryophyte
Bryophyte
Bryophyte is a traditional name used to refer to all embryophytes that do not have true vascular tissue and are therefore called 'non-vascular plants'. Some bryophytes do have specialized tissues for the transport of water; however since these do not contain lignin, they are not considered to be...
collections at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
and running the Moss Clinic at the Iowa Lakeside Laboratory.
Dr. Conard and his wife moved in 1955 to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, where they resided until his death on October 7, 1971 in Haines City, Florida
Haines City, Florida
Haines City is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 13,174 at the 2000 census. As of 2010, the population estimated by the Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the University of Florida is 18,762. Haines City is the third most populous city in Polk County, Florida...
.
Selected publications
- The Waterlilies: A Monograph of the Genus NymphaeaNymphaeaNymphaea is a genus of aquatic plants in the family Nymphaeaceae. There are about 50 species in the genus, which has a cosmopolitan distribution.-Name:The common name, shared with some other genera in the same family, is Water Lily....
(1905), Washington: Carnegie Institution of Washington. - The Structure and Life-history of Hay-scented FernDennstaedtia punctilobulaDennstaedtia punctilobula is a species of fern native to eastern North America, from Newfoundland west to Wisconsin and Arkansas, and south in the Appalachian Mountains to northern Alabama; it is most abundant in the east of its range, with only scattered populations in the west.It is a deciduous...
(1908), Washington: Carnegie Institution of Washington. - How to Know the Mosses and Liverworts (1979), Dubuque, IowaDubuque, IowaDubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
: W.C. Brown