WILLIAM LESLIE HOOPER was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, August 2, 1855. His family was a branch of the Hooper family of Marblehead, Massachusetts. His father was one of the veteran clergymen of the Universalist denomination, his term of service extending over more than fifty years. Being the son of a minister, William's early life was passed in several different places. He entered the High School of Chatham, Massachusetts, but received his diploma at that of Gloucester.

After graduation he taught school in Gloucester for some time, and then entered Tufts College in the class of '77. During the latter half of his course he devoted himself principally to Physics and Chemistry. In the latter he did extra work, preparing reagents for the lectures of Professor Pitman, then at the head of the department.

After receiving his degree of A. B., Mr. Hooper pursued a graduate course, principally in Physics, and at the same time assisted Professor Dolbear in his experiments on the telephone.

In 1878 he received the degree of A. M., and was at once appointed Instructor in Mathematics and Physical Science in the Bromfield School at Harvard, Massachusetts. He was the first instructor to be appointed in this school, and after teaching there for two years he was made its Principal.

While there he was married, in 1879, to Miss Mary Elizabeth Heard, of Waltham, Massachusetts. They have five children.

He left the Bromfield School to accept the position of Assistant Professor of Physics at Tufts in 1883. Soon after

Professor Hooper has been honored by election to fellowship in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the members of which are drawn largely from Harvard University. He has contributed numerous scientific articles to the Electrical Journals, and has often been employed as an electrical expert. In this capacity he has served the West End Street Railway Company at various times, especially during the development of electric traction. He has been a Director of the Somerville Electric Light Company for a number of years, and is at present employed by several different companies as Consulting Engineer.

He is a member of the Theta Delta Chi Fraternity and of Phi Beta Kappa.

Professor Hooper has done much toward placing the Electrical department of Tufts in the position which it holds to-day, and the credit which the work done here reflects upon him is only a just return for what his reputation among experts has done for the department.