Text: One of the great American scientists of the 19th-Century, Joseph Leidy, possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of the natural world. Best known as the Father of American Vertebrate Paleontology, he also pioneered the fields of Parasitology and Protozoology, and was the preeminent Anatomist of his time. He was also an influential teacher of Natural History and an expert in areas as diverse as entomology, geology and pathology. Joseph Leidy conducted research at The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia and served as a Professor of Anatomy at the medical school of the University of Pennsylvania. He also taught Natural History at these and other institutions in and near Philadelphia. His first major job teaching Natural History was at the same university where he taught human anatomy. In response to declining enrollment, the University of Pennsylvania enlisted Leidy in 1862 to give a series of lectures on Natural History and physiology. The lectures would be directed at medical students, but for the first time the public was invited for a fee. The lectures on Natural History proved so successful that Leidy continued giving them until 1867. Leidy's second major opportunity to teach the subject was at Swarthmore College, a new Quaker liberal arts college west of Philadelphia. Several supporters and administrators of the new school were friends of Leidy. They prevailed upon him to accept the position of Professor of Natural History in February 1871. Leidy's duties at Swarthmore included lecturing on Natural History, establishing and curating a Natural History museum, and the creation of a library. His lectures were very popular and his natural history course was a major attraction for the new college. Leidy was soon asked to teach a second course on Mineralogy and Geology. Leidy taught at Swarthmore until 1885, when the demands of his position at the University of Pennsylvania forced him to curtail his activities at Swarthmore, but he retained his title of Emeritus Professor until his death in 1891. In 1884, the University of Pennsylvania founded the Department of Biology and appointed Leidy as the department's director and as a Professor of Comparative Anatomy and Zoology. Leidy also played important roles in the creation of the university's School of Veterinary Medicine, School of Dentistry and Archaeological Association. The last association would eventually give rise to the University Museum of Archaeology. In 1885, Leidy became faculty president and lead curator at another Philadelphia institution, the Wagner Free Institute of Science. Leidy helped formulate a master plan for the institute, organized lecture series and the teaching curriculum, developed the library, expanded the collections and started a new professional publication, the "Transactions of the Wagner Free Institute of Science." Leidy also reorganized the institute's public museum. (1) Leidy spent virtually his entire career in intimate association with the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Yet he was at best a reluctant contributor to the institution's public education programs. Part of his reluctance was due to his shy nature, but he was perfectly willing to lecture to college students. Leidy was skeptical of the general public, which he regarded as uneducated and superstitious. This attitude changed somewhat with his appointment at the Wagner Free Institute, but he clearly preferred the insular world of academia. In one respect, however, Leidy fully participated in the educational mission of the Academy. He made the Academy collections, facilities and himself available to students from the University of Pennsylvania and elsewhere. Whether he lectured on or informally discussed natural history, Leidy impressed his listeners with his encyclopedic knowledge. A legend at Swarthmore College was that he was never stumped ­despite repeated attempts­ by students presenting exotic specimens. Yet he was a humble and gracious speaker. W.S.W. Ruschenberger, a longtime friend from the Academy recalled Leidy's typical introduction to his audience: "My name is Joseph Leidy, Doctor of Medicine. I was born in his city on 9th of September, 1823, and I have lived here ever since. ... At an early age I took great delight in natural history an in noticing all natural objects. I have reason to think that I know a little of natural history, and a little of that little I propose to teach you to-night."

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