Early Life and Education
Sutherland was born in Glasgow, Scotland, son of George Sutherland, a woodcarver, and his wife Jane, née Smith. William had siblings Alexander Sutherland, George Sutherland and Jane Sutherland. The family emigrated to Australia in 1864, staying in Sydney for six years and then moving to Melbourne in 1870. Sutherland later graduated from Wesley College. The headmaster was Martin Howy Irving who had been the second professor of classics at the University of Melbourne, but the influence of the second master, H. M. Andrew, afterwards professor of natural philosophy at the same university, was of more importance to Sutherland. From Wesley Sutherland enrolled at the University of Melbourne in February 1876, graduating B.A. in 1879 with first-class final honours and the scholarship in natural science, and third-class honours in engineering.
Sutherland was then nominated by the Melbourne University council for the Gilchrist scholarship at University College, London, in England, which was awarded to him and he left for England in July 1879. Entering as a science student at University College London, Sutherland came under the influence of Professor Carey Foster, and in the final examination for the B.Sc. degree took first place and first class honours in experimental physics and the clothworkers scholarship of £50 for two years. Sutherland had not enjoyed his time in England and arrived back in Melbourne in February 1882.
Read more about this topic: William Sutherland (physicist)
Famous quotes containing the words early life, early, life and/or education:
“... business training in early life should not be regarded solely as insurance against destitution in the case of an emergency. For from business experience women can gain, too, knowledge of the world and of human beings, which should be of immeasurable value to their marriage careers. Self-discipline, co-operation, adaptability, efficiency, economic management,—if she learns these in her business life she is liable for many less heartbreaks and disappointments in her married life.”
—Hortense Odlum (1892–?)
“Parents ... are sometimes a bit of a disappointment to their children. They don’t fulfil the promise of their early years.”
—Anthony Powell (b. 1905)
“For me, the principal fact of life is the free mind. For good and evil, man is a free creative spirit. This produces the very queer world we live in, a world in continuous creation and therefore continuous change and insecurity. A perpetually new and lively world, but a dangerous one, full of tragedy and injustice. A world in everlasting conflict between the new idea and the old allegiances, new arts and new inventions against the old establishment.”
—Joyce Cary (1888–1957)
“Nature has taken more care than the fondest parent for the education and refinement of her children. Consider the silent influence which flowers exert, no less upon the ditcher in the meadow than the lady in the bower. When I walk in the woods, I am reminded that a wise purveyor has been there before me; my most delicate experience is typified there.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)