Rhodes University Zoology and Entomology Department
Rhodes University Zoology and Entomology Department – See Details Below:
THE EARLY YEARS (1905–1936)
Within the first 12 months of the founding of Rhodes University College (31 May 1904), the Chair of Zoology was established. In 1905 James Edwin Duerden (Figure 1a) was appointed to this Chair at a salary of £500 per annum, £150 of which was paid by the Albany Museum (an arrangement that ceased in 1910). He arrived in May of that year (Currey, 1970) and he occupied this position for 27 years (Figure 1b is a photo- graph of Duerden shortly after he retired). Initially, he was the only staff member of the Department. James Duerden was born in Burnley, England, on the 7th of April 1865. He received his early tertiary education at the Royal College of Science in London (1885–1889) where he gained their Associateship in Zoology. From 1893 to 1895 he worked as a demonstrator in Biology and Palaeontology at the Royal College of Science for Ireland, Dublin. During this time he carried out research on bryozoans and hydroids. In 1895 he accepted a position of Curator of the Museum at the Institute of Jamaica, Kingston, where he began to work on corals, and by 1900 he had been awarded his PhD by Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. After temporary positions at the Universities of North Carolina and Michigan, he secured a permanent post at the very new and small Rhodes University.
Students entering Rhodes at this time were able to register for a Bachelor of Arts degree in science, the registration fee for
which was £5.5s per term. Duerden offered an intermediate course (1 year), an advanced course (2nd and 3rd year) and an Honours course (4th year). He ran the courses on classical lines with strong emphasis on an understanding of animal anatomy and taxonomy, which reflected Duerden’s own interests. To quote an early University calendar entry, the course was “designed for those who wish to gain a general knowledge of animal life and biological methods and principles”. In addition, the Department of Zoology combined with Selmar Schonland (Department of Botany) to offer a course in Biology (this course was discontinued in 1914, but re-established in 1971). How- ever, Duerden was more advanced in his outlook than many of his contemporaries as he also offered a course in Applied Biol- ogy. Duerden wanted to develop this applied aspect of zoology and he and Schonland campaigned long and hard to establish a Department of Agriculture at Rhodes and to have ‘Agriculture’ included in the curriculum (Currey, 1970). Despite their best efforts lobbying both the University and the government, they were unsuccessful. For the zoology practical classes students were provided with small razors, dissecting implements and blow pipes (use unknown!). Recommended text books were: Thomson, Outline of Zoology; Wells & Davies, Text Book of Zool- ogy and Parker & Hasswell, Text Book of Zoology (2 volumes). In each course students attended three lectures per week (each 50 minutes long) and two laboratory sessions.
Figure 2. The new science block shortly after its completion in 1914. Zoology occupied the ground floor in 1916. Photograph from the Cory Library.
larly held on Saturday mornings at 09h50. As courses were not semesterised, students sat all examinations in December. The intermediate course had one theory paper and one practical, each Advanced Course, two papers and an all-day practical. Honours students were rigorously examined with three theory papers and one practical examination that lasted two days!
During the early years of Rhodes, students were bound by strict regulations, for example: “Men students only enter the main building of the college by the door on the right and women students only by that on the left of the central entrance of the main building”. Smoking was not allowed in the college precincts except in the men’s common room, and academic dress had to be worn by students during lectures.
The first Honours students to graduate in Zoology (with a BA) were C.F. Heathcote and W.A. Visser in 1909. In 1910 the only Honours graduate, G.S. Grobbelaar, obtained a class I Honours degree, the first to be conferred by the Department. During the next 10 years the Department only had one Hon- ours student, W.M.B. Tooke, who graduated in 1914. After 1913, the zoology Honours degree was discontinued and not offered again until 1945. Despite the declining student numbers due to the impact World War I, a new science block was built in 1914 (Figure 2) and, in 1916, the Zoology Department took occupation of the ground floor. In 1916 there were 116 students only at Rhodes (Currey, 1970), which is about the size of our current 1st year zoology intake! Rhodes was further affected by the influenza epidemic in 1918, and in October of that year Zoology (and all other departments) was forced to suspend classes until February of 1919. During 1919, however, Bachelor of Science degrees were first conferred, and science at Rhodes began to develop. The BSc degree was a three-year degree (now called 1st, 2nd and 3rd year) and V. Seagull (appropriately enough) was the first student to graduate in 1919 with a BSc in Zoology and Chemistry.
The next decade (1920–1930) saw a number of notable changes at Rhodes, which ultimately affected Zoology. The rule dictating separate entrances for men and women was abolished (1921), laboratory fees were introduced (7 shillings & 6 pence per term for 1 year; 10 shillings per term for subsequent years), electric lighting powered by a generator was installed into laboratories (1924), and in 1921 4th and 5th year courses were offered in Zoology for the degree of MSc Zoology pro- duced its first two MSc students (V.F. Fitzsimmons and M.F.I. Ritchie) in 1923 (Figure 4). In 1925, Council decided to move Zoology as the science block was becoming too congested. The Department was given a converted gymnasium nearby (situ-
Figure 3. Dr Gwendolin Trude Brock, acting Head of Department from 1933–36. Photograph from Zoology & Entomology archives.
ated between Botany and Beit women’s residence) as its new premises. From correspondence with graduates the building was rather uninspiring. It consisted of one large laboratory, also used as a lecture room that could accommodate about 50 students.
In 1924, Zoology had been given an additional member of staff, Gwendolin Trude Brock (BSc) (Figure 3) who was appointed as a demonstrator. Duerden had therefore run the Zoology department for 20 years by himself. Despite this he had time to carry out a considerable amount of research and during his 27 years at Rhodes he published 109 papers (most in South African journals), being sole author on nearly all of them.
After his arrival at Rhodes, Duerden at first continued to publish on corals. Grahamstown clearly was not an ideal place to study corals and he soon turned his attention to vertebrates, initially the taxonomy and morphology of reptiles. Much of this work must have been undertaken in the Albany museum where he was a curator. He also became friendly with many farmers in the Albany and surrounding districts where the ostrich feather industry flourished at that time. Their problems (especially the husbandry of ostriches, Struthio camelus) imme- diately became his special interest. He soon became a world authority on these birds and between 1906 and 1924 he published 56 articles on ostrich biology. His studies were the first scientific investigations of ostrich morphology, the structure and formation of feathers, breeding, development and genetics, as well as behaviour. Although the majority of Duerden’s papers appeared in South African journals, he also published ostrich research in international journals such as the Journal of Heredity (Duerden, 1918), American Naturalist (Duerden, 1919a, 1920a) Journal of Genetics (Duerden, 1919b, 1920b), Science (Duerden, 1920c) and Nature (Duerden, 1920d,e) (a complete bibliography of Duerden’s work whilst at Rhodes is available from the Department). However, with the advent of World War I, the demand for feathers ceased and the resultant slump in ostrich farming caused widespread financial ruin. Duerden promptly switched to work on Merino (Ovis aries) wool. Working in close collaboration with the Grootfontein Agricultural College in Middleburg, he became a pioneer in wool research. He linked his laboratory studies with practical
This HTML is created from PDF at https://www.pdfonline.com/convert-pdf-to-html/
Rhodes University Zoology and Entomology Department Contact
Quick Links:
1.Buffalo City TVET College Online Application
2.Buffalo City TVET College Application Form
3.Buffalo City TVET College Undergraduate Application Form
4.Buffalo City TVET College Online Undergraduate Application
5.Buffalo City TVET College Application Closing Date
6.Buffalo City TVET College Application Status
7.Buffalo City TVET College Online Application Status
COURSES
8.Buffalo City TVET College Courses Offered
FEES STRUCTURE, BURSARIES, AND SCHOLARSHIPS
9.Buffalo City TVET College Banking Details
10.Buffalo City TVET College Fees
11.Buffalo City TVET College NSFAS
12.Buffalo City TVET College Bursaries
13.Buffalo City TVET College Student Loans
14.Buffalo City TVET College NSFAS Application
PROSPECTUS
15.Buffalo City TVET College Prospectus
16.Buffalo City TVET College Undergraduate Prospectus
17.Buffalo City TVET College Postgraduate Prospectus
CONTACTS, LOCATION, AND CAMPUSES
18.Buffalo City TVET College Campus
19.Buffalo City TVET College Contact Address
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND REGISTRATIONS
20.Buffalo City TVET College Entry Requirements
21.Buffalo City TVET College Admission Requirements
22.Buffalo City TVET College Registration.
ACADEMICS
23.Buffalo City TVET College Tender
24.Buffalo City TVET College History
25.Buffalo City TVET College Mission and Vision
26.Buffalo City TVET College Examination
27.Buffalo City TVET College Faculties
28.Buffalo City TVET College Graduation Ceremony Date
29.Buffalo City TVET College Graduation List
30.Buffalo City TVET College Acceptance letter
31.Buffalo City TVET College Academic Calendar
32.Buffalo City TVET College Student Portal Login
33.Buffalo City TVET College Career
34.Buffalo City TVET College Job Vacancies
35.Buffalo City TVET College Blackboard Learn Login
See Also:
1.University of Pretoria Application Status
2.University of Pretoria Online Application Status
3.University of Pretoria Online Application
4.University of Pretoria Application Forms
5.University of Pretoria Undergraduate Application Form
6.University of Pretoria Postgraduate Application Form
7.University of Pretoria Undergraduate Online Application
8.University of Pretoria Postgraduate Online Application
COURSES
9. University of Pretoria Courses Offered
FEES STRUCTURE, BURSARIES AND SCHOLARSHIPS
10.University of Pretoria Application Fees
11. University of Pretoria Summer/Winter School Fees
12. University of Pretoria Bank Details
13.University of Pretoria Fees and Funding
14. University of Pretoria Undergraduate Fees
15. University of Pretoria Postgraduate Fees
16. University of Pretoria Residence Fees
17. University of Pretoria International Student Fees
18. University of Pretoria Postgraduate Registration Fee
19. University of Pretoria Scholarship
PROSPECTUS
20. University of Pretoria Prospectus.
21. University of Pretoria Undergraduate Prospectus
22. University of Pretoria Postgraduate prospectus
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND REGISTRATIONS
22. University of Pretoria Online Registration
23. University of Pretoria Registration
24. University of Pretoria International Student Registration
25. University of Pretoria Admission Requirements
26. University of Pretoria PHD Admission Requirements
CONTACTS, LOCATION AND CAMPUSES
27. University of Pretoria Distance Learning Contact
28. University of Pretoria Fees Office Contact Address
29. University of Pretoria Contact Address
30. University of Pretoria Campuses
ACADEMICS
31. University of Pretoria Student Portal Login
32. University of Pretoria Accommodation and Hostel
33. University of Pretoria Distance Learning
34. University of Pretoria Dormitory and Hostels
35. University of Pretoria Examinations
36. University of Pretoria Examination Results
37. University of Pretoria Faculties and Schools
38. When is University of Pretoria Open Day
39. Does University of Pretoria Offer Distance Learning
40. University of Pretoria Graduation Ceremony Date
41. University of Pretoria Graduation List
42. University of Pretoria Closing Date
43. University of Pretoria Acceptance Letter
44. University of Pretoria Career
45. University of Pretoria Job Vacancies
46. University of Pretoria Blackboard Learn Login
47. University of Pretoria Historical Background
48. University of Pretoria World Ranking
49. University of Pretoria Grade Calculator
50. University of Pretoria Examination Timetable
51. Apply at the University of Pretoria
See Also:
61.University of Cape Town UCT Term Dates
62.University of Cape Town UCT Academic Calendar Pdf
63.Does University of Cape Town UCT Offer Pharmacy
64.University of Cape Town UCT School of Nursing and Midwifery
65.University of Cape Town Contact Details
66.University of Cape Town Payment and Rebate Deadlines
67.University of Cape Town UCT Payment Methods
68.UCT Postgraduate International Students
69.University of Cape Town National Senior Certificate Requirements
70.University of Cape Town UCT Students Results
71.University of Cape Town UCT Course Timetable
72.University of Cape Town UCT Department Timetables
73.University of Cape Town UCT Venue Timetable
74.UCT Departmental Exam Timetable
75.University of Cape Town UCT Student Exam Timetable
76.University of Cape Town UCT Residences
77.University of Cape Town Accommodation
78.University of Cape Town UCT Student Housing
79.UCT Student Housing and Residence Life
80.University of Cape Town UCT Student Housing Application
81.UCT Off-Campus Student Accommodation Services OCSAS
82.University of Cape Town UCT Tier One Residences
83.University of Cape Town UCT Tier Two Residences
84.University of Cape Town UCT Tier Three Residences
85.University of Cape Town UCT Postgraduate Housing
86.University of Cape Town UCT Postgraduate Contacts
87.University of Cape Town UCT First Year Students
88.University of Cape Town UCT Orientation Leadership Training
89.University of Cape Town UCT Orientation Dates
90.University of Cape Town UCT Orientation Programmes
91.University of Cape Town UCT International Orientation
92.UCT Student Orientation & Advocacy Service SOAS
93.University of Cape Town UCT Curriculum and Course Changes
94.University of Cape Town UCT Exams
95.University of Cape Town UCT Graduation Ceremony Date
96.University of Cape Town UCT Graduation List
97.University of Cape Town UCT Third Term
98.University of Cape Town UCT Oracle PeopleSoft Sign in
99.University of Cape Town Faculties
100.University of Cape Town Grading System
Quick Check:
101.Apply at University of Stellenbosch
102.University of Stellenbosch Application Forms
103.University of Stellenbosch Online Application
104.University of Stellenbosch Undergraduate Application Forms
105.University of Stellenbosch Postgraduate Application Forms
106.University of Stellenbosch Application Status
107.University of Stellenbosch Online Application Status
COURSES
108.University of Stellenbosch Courses Offered
FEES STRUCTURE, BURSARIES AND SCHOLARSHIPS
109.University of Stellenbosch Postgraduate Fees
110.University of Stellenbosch Fees
110.University of Stellenbosch Banking Details
111.University of Stellenbosch Bursaries and Loans
112.University of Stellenbosch Merit Bursaries
113.University of Stellenbosch Residence fees
114.University of Stellenbosch Registration Fees
115.University of Stellenbosch Application Fees
116.University of Stellenbosch NSFAS Application
117.University of Stellenbosch Late Registration Fees
Prospectus
118.University of Stellenbosch Prospectus
119.University of Stellenbosch Undergraduate Prospectus
120.University of Stellenbosch Postgraduate Prospectus
CONTACTS, LOCATION AND CAMPUSES
121.University of Stellenbosch Contact Address
122.Where University of Stellenbosch is Situated
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND REGISTRATIONS
123.University of Stellenbosch Registration
124.Rhodes University Zoology and Entomology Department
University of Stellenbosch Late Registration
125.University of Stellenbosch Admission Requirements
ACADEMICS
126.University of Stellenbosch Readmission
127.University of Stellenbosch Acceptance Letter
128.University of Stellenbosch Career
129.University of Stellenbosch Job Vacancies
130.University of Stellenbosch Application Closing Date
131.University of Stellenbosch Blackboard Learn Login
132.University of Stellenbosch Graduation List
133.University of Stellenbosch Graduation Ceremony Date
134.University of Stellenbosch Faculties
135.University of Stellenbosch Opening Date
136.University of Stellenbosch Assessment and Examination
137.University of Stellenbosch Student Portal Login
138.University of Stellenbosch History
139.University of Stellenbosch Student Accommodation