Biotechnics : the practice of synthesis in the work of Patrick Geddes

Geddesian leadership of the late Sir Dudley Stamp. In the field of higher education two major features stand considerably to his credit; halls of residence, and (really Geddes’ invention) summer schools—two features which we take so much for granted that we do not usually think where they came from.

It is perhaps worth recalling that Professor Frederick Soddyco-discoverer with Rutherford of the possibilities of atomic energy and winner of the Nobel Prize for his discovery of isotopes —left his modest fortune not to the furtherance of chemical science, nor that of monetary reform (to which he had devoted the last part of his life) but to regional studies on the PlaceWork—Folk lines developed by Geddes. And today we have the Frederick Soddy Research Fellowship in Geographical Sociology at the University of Sussex maintained by the Frederick Soddy Trust, which also supports many regional study expeditions throughout the world.

Geddes’ last main activity was in connection with a very special university hall of residence, the Collége des Ecossais, which he established at the University of Montpellier, where he particularly appreciated the situation both cultural, with memories of Rabelais, and physical, with its synoptic view towards the Mediterranean, and where he set up a new small Outlook Tower. It was here that he was working mainly on ecological studies, a field now recognised as so vitally important, at the time of his death in 1932, shortly after receiving his knighthood from King George V.

During the later years of Geddes’ life invitations had come from India, from Palestine, from Cyprus. It is a sad commentary that so many of the projects which he had worked out and got started have never been completed—such as the Jerusalem plan, making the most of the marvellous setting for the Hebrew University there. In India he accomplished much—but very much was left undone. Some of his vital work is contained in his various planning reports. That for the Maharajah of Indore is outstanding but there were a dozen or more others. Geddes’ method is illustrated by his contribution to Malaria control. Instead of oiling the tanks to destroy the mosquitos and thus depriving the villagers of an important amenity, he stocked them with fish to eat the larvae and with ducks to keep down the fish. It is pleasant to recall the delightful episode, which has been more

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