History of Tufts College, 1854-1896
Start, Alaric Bertrand
1896
FRANK W. DURKEE, A. M.
FRANK WILLIAMS DURKEE was born October 5, 1861, at North Tunbridge, Orange County, Vermont. Mr. Durkee's paternal ancestors were from Connecticut. His great-great-grandfather, John Durkee, was a captain in the Revolutionary Army, having command of the forts at New London. After relinquishing his command John Durkee removed to Vermont, settling upon an estate which still remains in the possession of the Durkee family. | |
Professor Durkee's boyhood was spent, as that of many a farmer's son has been, attending the district school in winter, and working on the farm during the summer months. At the age of fifteen he entered the State Normal School at Randolph, but being desirous of entering college he left this school during his second year there to enter Goddard Seminary at Barre. | |
He entered Tufts in the Fall of 1884 as a candidate for the degree of A. B. Here he rapidly rose to prominence in athletics, occupying the position of base-ball captain in his Senior year, and until four years ago was Tufts' " strongest man." A prominent member of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity, he was an editor on the "Tuftonian," and "'88 Annual," and was President of his class in his Senior year. | |
Graduating in 1888, he returned to Tufts the next year as a graduate student under Professor Dolbear and Dr. Freer, receiving the degree of A. M. in 1889. The same year he was appointed Instructor in Physical Training. The following year he refused a position in the High School at Erie, New York, to accept the appointment of Instructor in Chemistry and Physical Training at Tufts. Through Mr. Durkee's | |
150 | persistent efforts Physical Training has assumed an importance in college work never before known at Tufts, being advanced to the standard of the work in the other departments. During the year 1893-94, owing to the vacancy in the chair of Chemistry, Mr. Durkee had full charge of this department in addition to his duties as Instructor in the gymnasium. In the Summer of 1895 Mr. Durkee was appointed Assistant Professor in Chemistry, and in the Fall the appointment of Mr. Stroud as Instructor in Athletics relieved him from his duties in the gymnasium. |
Professor Durkee spent the Summer of 1893 in research work for the Dominion Coal Company, and that of 1894 in the investigation of mining properties in copper and nickel ores for Boston parties. As this work has been for other parties, he has not been at liberty to publish it. | |
Professor Durkee is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. | |
On February 21, 1895, he was united in marriage to Henrietta Noble Brown, daughter of Professor and Mrs. Benjamin G. Brown, and a little girl was born to them on New Year's Day, 1896. | |