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1st College Acarology Course In U.S.Taught Here in 1952
By Donna Engle
The first college semester course ever to be presented in general ackarology in the United States was taught at KU in 1952 by Robert Beer, associate professor of entomology.
What is acarology?
"My specialty is acarology, or the study of mites," Prof. Beer said in a Daily Kansan interview. In explaining his unusual specialty, Prof. Beer first pointed out that mites are not insects.
"Mites are more closely related to spiders than to any insects. Like spiders, they have eight legs and never have wings or antennae," he said.
He explained that acarology is important because mites transmit diseases to humans and other animals and can destroy many domestic crops.
ONE OF THE most destructive pests of wheat in Kansas is a mite of the tetranychidae family. And one of the most important wheat diseases in Kansas is a virus disease caused by mites," the acarologist said.
Prof. Beer said acarology at KU is associated with the entomology department because the problems associated with mites are closely related to those of insects.
MITES RANGE from microscopic to one-half inch in size. The best known mite is the common tick.
"Ticks transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a very serious disease. And recently an outbreak of rickettsialpox occurred in New York City. It is transmitted by a species of mites whose members normally are bird parasites."
He explained that acarology is a new and virtually unexplored field.
R. S.Tait Retires After 40 Years
A teaching career that began at the University of Kansas in 1920 will come to an end this summer for Ralph S. Tait, associate professor of mechanical engineering.
When he shuts the door to his office in Marvin Hall it will mark the end of his association with the University which began in 1912. He received his B.S. in mechanical engineering in 1916.
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"I have found teaching sort of a continuous experiment," said Prof. Tait. "Knowing what I do now, I would certainly do it over again."
Was Engineer
After working as a research engineer for a Bartlesville, Oklahoma, oil company for four years, he began his teaching career.
As he leaned back in his chair and dug the nicked bowl of his pipe into an old tobacco pouch,he began to talk about the KU engineering department when he entered the university.
Friday. April 22. 1960 University Daily Kansan Page
"When I began as a freshman up here there were not more than 25 men graduating from the department in any semester," he said. "In fact I do not think there were more than twice that many in the whole department."
As he talked on, he absent-mindedly picked up a paperweight Jayhawk and tossed it up and down in his hands. It was as if that paperweight of the KU mascot symbolized his closeness throughout the years to KU. Then he put the paperweight back onto a pile of papers.
"But engineering students were just like they are now. They worked hard. I think the boys in the engineering courses have to work harder than in most of the other departments."
Students Are Same
The papers were diagrams of power vectors.
He glanced at the diagrams and said. "It is going to be different not grading papers and giving exams any more."
"After all, all I have ever done is teach." he said.
Prof. Beer said that KU is well-known nationally in the field of acarology.
"Mites are poorly known. Less than five people in the country were studying them at the time I became interested in them," he said.
Acarology courses are now being taught at the Universities of Hawaii, Nebraska, Missouri and California. he said.
"WE HAVE 100 000 mites in our collection. This is important because a graduate student needs a good selection to draw from when he is doing his research. Our objective is to build up the best mite collection in the country."
"We now have eight graduate students working on advanced degrees in acarology and that's about par for the course for us in the past four years.
"There are more mites in the world than insects. There are at least a million species of mites. Less than 15,000 of them have been scientifically classified," he said.
He said that for the first time undergraduate courses in systematic acarology and biology of mites will be offered at KU next fall.
PROF. BEER explained that mites are found in every conceivable habitat.
"One reason for the mites outnumbering the insects is that they
have successfully invaded the sea while insects have not," he said.
Prof. Beer gave the mites' smallness, high reproductive potential, and inexhaustible food supply as reasons for their large number.
"These mites are human follicle mites which live in the hair follicles. This species is the smallest of all known mites. Approximately 20 to 30 of them live in one hair follicle.
"FROM OBSERVATION I have found that these mites seem to be beneficial in nature because the people who maintain the largest number of them have the healthiest looking skin. So, I think that the animals actually clean out the hair follicles," he said.
He has a theory that every human is infested with mites.
Prof. Beer also believes that some mites may be an influence in causing lung cancer.
"Although the mites have been found on various areas of the body the easiest place to recover these microscopic animals is from the forehead region.
"Because some mites are floating around in the air, humans breathe them constantly. Living mites may get into the lungs and if they are not exhaled properly might cause irritations which could possibly develop into lung cancer," he said.
Prof. Black said that she had no immediate plans for working next fall
Florence Black to Retire
"As for work, I won't hunt for it. Work has always had an uncanny way of finding me."
Her destination this spring is Ladolla, California, where she intends to go swimming in the ocean every day. Enroute to California she plans to camp out "right beneath the stars."
"I'm going to put some bags, a camping stove and some groceries in the car. I'll put on some blue jeans and then take off for the coast." Prof. Black said.
Florence Black, associate professor of mathematics, is heading for the west coast following commencement and the completion of her duties at the University.
Prof. Black said that when she returns home next fall she hopes to be able to ride her horse, Peso, to keep him a little calmer than he has been this year.
She will retire this spring, ending a 42-year career with the mathematics department.
Prof. Black reflected on the summer just before she came to KU to teach for the first time. She said that she was horseback riding on her parent's farm and was thrown from the horse. She had a blackout, and when she regained her senses the first thought to come to her mind was:
Prof. Black was graduated from the University in 1913. She returned to KU in 1918 to begin her teaching career. She received her M.A. in 1921 and her Ph.D. in 1926.
"Oh my goodness. I'm going to KU to teach this fall. I wonder if I'll be bright enough to teach after this blow."
During the rest of her ride, Prof. Black tested herself by trying to remember various formulas and trying to integrate. She said that her memory must not have been injured by the blow as she has managed to teach all these years.
Her years at KU have been enjoyable ones, Prof. Black said. She added that she has loved her teaching and that she will miss it.
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