Notes on the Early History of HBES. Part I by Richard D
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Spotlight | Notes on the early history of HBES. Part I by Richard D. Alexander, Willam G. Irons, & Napoleon A. Chagnon An HBES Hero: attention and strong support, A Special Tribute to Dr. Billy E. Frye virtually alone among Dr. Frye was University of Michigan Professor of U-M administrators, gave heart to the small Biology; Dean of the U-M College of Literature, Sci- number of faculty who braved the generally hostile ence, and the Arts; U-M Vice President for Academic environment toward early efforts to connect Affairs; U-M Provost; subsequently, Emory University the evolutionary process to the makeup and Vice President, Provost, and Chancellor. potentials of human behavior. Sometimes a university administrative officer goes 2. When informed that two recently graduated well beyond the call of duty because he or she anthropology PhDs from Northwestern University, recognizes a special opportunity to assist a faculty Paul Turke and Mark Flinn, had received 3-year group in establishing and maintaining what seems Junior Fellowships at the U-M to pursue the new to be a particularly worthwhile project. Depending field of human behavior and evolution, while on the administrator’s actual contributions, the a third Northwestern graduate with the same continuing growth and worthiness of the project professional interests, Laura Betzig (Paul Turke’s may to an important extent become a product of spouse), had no such financial support, Professor the insight and effort of the administrator. Such Frye provided a three-year Vice Presidential assistance was essential in more than one of Postdoctoral Fellowship for Dr. Betzig. the early stages of what eventually became the 3. When William D. Hamilton, often referred to Human Behavior and Evolution Society. The as the most important evolutionary biologist of administrative contributor was Professor Billy E. the twentieth century, informed a U-M faculty Frye, while he was U-M Dean, Vice President, and member, by letter, of his strong interest in finding Provost. a position in the United States, Dean Frye In 2008, Richard D. Alexander suggested, in his promptly facilitated the hiring of Hamilton as a introduction to the HBES keynote presentation faculty member in the U-M Museum of Zoology in Kyoto, Japan, that because of the importance and Department of Biology. Dean Frye did this, of generating a detailed knowledge and broad despite strong and organized objections by a understanding of the evolutionary background small minority of faculty opposed to evolutionary of the human species, HBES has the potential investigations of human behavior. to become the most important scientific society 4. When the Department of Anthropology sought in the world. If this optimistic prediction is ever to hire a primatologist, after some discussion Dr. realized, it might be just as appropriate to view Dr. Frye replied that he would support the request, Frye, at that time, as the most important person but only if an evolutionary biologist were placed in the world supporting science. To prepare for on the search committee. As a direct result, Dr. this delightful possibility, we have compiled the Richard Wrangham was contacted, in England, following list of Dr. Frye’s contributions to the interviewed at Michigan, and hired as an beginnings of HBES, occurring mainly in the anthropologist. 1980s. 5. When at least one faculty member with 1. From the beginning of the rise of interest in an interest in evolution and human behavior an evolutionary approach to human behavior at encountered continuing direct hostility from Michigan, Dr. Frye became an openly concerned, multiple fellow faculty members, and (unknown to cooperative, and beneficent observer. His the faculty member) the existence and nature of Spotlight (cont.) this hostility were mentioned to Dean Frye by the remembers now. When he departed from the director of the faculty member’s unit, Dean Frye U-M for his alma mater, Emory University in emphatically stated that the faculty member was Atlanta, every U-M person known to those of us to be allowed to follow his research and teaching in HBES, who spoke of his departure, expressed interests without interference. It was later the highest respect for his performance at the reported that during this discussion the Dean’s U-M. With very few exceptions, probably all finger was pointed rather sharply, and wagged, resulting from the continuing general reluctance at the director! Every faculty member who has to delve deeply into the relationship between ever had an experience of this sort knows the the evolutionary process and the behavior of incredibly positive long-term effect of such humans, Billy Frye was regarded as a serious support. loss to the University of Michigan’s administrative organization. 6. As Dean, Dr. Frye established an organization of faculty from science and the humanities that After rising to the Emory Chancellorship, Billy met monthly, with dinner and a presentation retired, and now lives with his wife, Elisa, in the from an inside or outside speaker, to generate mountains of north Georgia, on the property, understanding and fellowship among diverse and near the farmhouse, where he was reared. faculty. On one occasion he explicitly sought Among his current enterprises are enjoying his a speaker on evolution and human behavior. and Elisa’s two daughters and one granddaughter, Napoleon Chagnon, the anthropologist to whom staying abreast of changing aspects of the social the 2005 Austin, Texas, meeting of HBES was and biological sciences by “reading biographies dedicated, accepted the invitation to speak. of founding fathers and early American history, books on world religions, and anything that 7. Dr. Frye agreed to allow the U-M Museum of purports to interpret human nature and culture Zoology to use funds that were orphaned in a in biological and evolutionary terms.” He also faculty change to bring a succession of visiting continues to grow roses and orchids, win prizes distinguished professors to the UMMZ for a with his watercolor paintings of orchids, write term or a year. Among those accepting these stories from his childhood, and listen to and play invitations from Donald W. Tinkle, Director of the classical music. UMMZ, were William D. Hamilton, George C. Williams, John Maynard Smith, and Mary Jane West-Eberhard. RDA Note: Billy Frye is a modest person. 8. On his own initiative Dr. Frye eventually Some time after he had read this essay and indicated to relevant U-M faculty his interest thanked those responsible for it, he wrote in providing financial support for a program me, quoting with obvious feeling a com- in Evolution and Human Behavior. Richard ment made at the party for him when he Wrangham was eventually placed in charge of was preparing to leave the University of the initial funds of that program. The program Michigan for Emory University. A distin- expanded, began to sponsor annual meetings, guished law professor and former Dean and, with special organizational efforts from of the Law School said to him, “When you Professors Randolph Nesse, William Irons, and leave, all our candles will burn less brightly.” Bobbi Low, formed the Human Behavior and Billy said the memory of that unusual re- Evolution Society, with William D. Hamilton mark still brings tears to his eyes. unanimously elected as the first president (Low and Nesse 1989). Reference: B. S. Low and R. M. Nesse. (1989). Summary of the evolution and There can be no doubt that Dr. Frye was human behavior conference: Ann Arbor, responsible for numerous other positive Michigan, April and October 1988. contributions, involving evolution and human Ethology and Sociobiology 10: 457-465. behavior, that none of us knew about, or H UMAN BE H AVIOR & EVOLUTION SOCIETY Winter 2009 Newsletter In This Issue View From the President’s Window Spotlight Featured Interview The Student Voice HBES Conference 2009 Announcements HBES Elections!!! The next HBES Conference will be held at California State Nominations for the HBES Career Awards University, Fullerton May 27-31, 2009. Lectures Abstract deadline is April 1, 2009. Positions Conferences See: http://anthro.fullerton.edu/hbes2009/ Read more... Members in the News New Books Participate in a Survey Submit your nominations for the HBES Lifetime & Early Call for Papers: EvoS Special Feature Career Contribution Awards. Read more... Conference Report Letters From the Editors Resources HBES Executive Council Elections!! Read more... View Spotlight Interview Students From the President’s Window Steve Gangestad Billy E. Frye Napoleon A. Chagnon The Student Voice | Aaron Blackwell Our HBES president is Steve In this edition, Richard D. In a special interview, Nap It is time to select a new Gangestad, Distinguished Alexander, Bill Irons, and Chagnon answers questions HBES Student Representa- Professor of Psychology Nap Chagnon share some from leading scientists on tive. Please read the profiles at the University of New notes on the history of the Yanomamö on topics of the two candidates for Mexico. In this issue, HBES. They pay special ranging from the possibility HBES Student Rep, Thank Steve reveals news of tribute to Dr. Billy E. Frye, of peace to kin term manipu- you Aaron for serving as our upcoming HBES a former University of lation to the role of women. HBES Stu- conferences Michigan Thank you to including administrator Ed Hagen and dent Repre- plans to who played Nicole Hess sentative for hold a joint a critical role for organizing the past few conference in the birth of this interview. years. with ABS. HBES. Read more... Read more... Read more... Read more... © Copyright HBES 2009 - All Rights Reserved | email: [email protected] | web: www.hbes.com.