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Death notice
Henry Ellis Bass
31 August 1943 - 28 May 2008
National Center for Physical Acoustics
Oxford, MS
Submitted by Physics Today Editorial Staff
Published on 15 July 2008
Current comments and reminiscences on Henry Ellis Bass:
Renowned Scientist Henry Bass, Director of UM Acoustics Center, Dies
University of Mississippi Newsdesk
I had not seen Hank for several years. I only worked with him for two years, and then only as support staff at the National Center for Physical Acoustics. When I applied for the job of secretary I was working on a MA in Political Science at Ole Miss and he did the interview himself. I asked him if it was worrisome that I might be a bit overqualified for the job of secretary, for surely when I received my MA I would move on. He said, "Well, I look at it this way‑ I would rather get someone who is overqualified and be sorry to see him go than to get someone who's barely qualified and have a hard time getting rid of them." Then he smiled. That, among other interactions I had with him, stuck with me. Although he was always mild mannered and gentlemanly, his comment represents a frankness and boyish irreverence as well as his tendency to treat students, secretaries and acclaimed scientists with equal respect. For those of us subordinate to him, we felt he was letting us in on a secret when he would tell us things honestly and give a bit of a wink when he could tell we were surprised with his frankness. I'm sure that colleagues also knew that he said what he meant. He also assumed the best of people. Funny story‑ I did something that I thought might have upset him once at work. He sit and listened to my explanation. He looked at me and he did not say a word. So I explained further. Still he did not speak. I felt I had to explain even further. Finally, he let me off the hook with a characteristic glint in his eye. He teased me a bit for ratting myself out so easily. So I had learned a lesson. Now I'm in a position in which people work under me. And when they think they've messed up, I let them talk and I think of Hank.
- Eric L. Taylor