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David Breed Beard
Overview
David Breed Beard (born c. 1920) was a Hamilton College student in the early 1940s, graduating with the Class of 1943. He was a standout academic and science student, earning first prize in the Tompkins Prizes in Mathematics (1942–43), the Edward Huntington Memorial Mathematical Scholarship (1942–43), and the Norton Foundation Prize (1943–44). He also appeared on the Honor List in both his junior and senior years and received recognition in Chemistry and Physics.
Relevance to Research
Beard is notable in the Hamilton corpus as a highly decorated student of the World War II era. He appears in Hamilton Life in 1940–41 in association with athletics (track) and dormitory life, while the 1942–43 and 1943–44 catalogs document an exceptional academic record across mathematics and the sciences. His trajectory illustrates the character of wartime Hamilton students who combined rigorous study with campus community engagement.
Notes
- Listed in Hamilton Life (November 1940) as living in North Dormitory with Phil Bartram; part of early student community coverage
- Participated in track and field; mentioned in the March 1941 Hamilton Life in connection with the Gray relay event
- Moved off the Hill with a group of students to “close-knit community life” in September 1941
- On the Honor List for the Class of 1943 (1942–43 catalog) and again for 1943–44
- First Prize, Tompkins Prizes in Mathematics, 1942–43
- Edward Huntington Memorial Mathematical Scholarship, 1942–43
- Norton Foundation Prize, 1943–44
- Honored in Chemistry and Physics in the 1943–44 catalog
- Listed in the graduating rolls for both the 1942–43 and 1943–44 catalogs, consistent with a wartime accelerated degree
Related Sources
- hamilton-life-1940-11-06 — dormitory mention
- hamilton-life-1941-03-26 — track event mention
- hamilton-life-1941-09-24 — dormitory/community life mention
- yhm-arc-pub-cat-1942-43 — Honor List, Tompkins Prize, Huntington Scholarship
- yhm-arc-pub-cat-1943-44 — Honor List, Norton Foundation Prize, Chemistry and Physics honors