On The Fly

G. Robert Crowningshield For over 60 years students of Gemology have struggled with spectrums; bewildered by birefringence, and simply plagued by pleochrosim. The following sonnet is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face, a glow to your heart, and a simple reminder that students of life and gemology  re-discover natures gifts all over again, every day. The following is reprinted with very minor edits from The Loupe, vol. V, No.2, Mar-Apr, 1953 p. 3. Courtesy of the Richard T. Liddicoat Gemological Library Dedicated to G. Robert Crowningshield, Bert Krashes, & Bill Jean ODE to Gemology By a GIA On-Campus Student  Dispersion, fire, aventurescence, Orient, sheen, or iridescence— Refractive index—high or low— The luster should indicate that, you know. Polarization—double or single— What to do now! They intermingle! Pleochroic colors you really should see; Was that only two, or actually three? Birefringence should help you a lot— ...

Attendance problems, late assignments, whispering with others in class, “You can’t imagine how demanding this group is. My students are such a problem, they make this class intolerable.”  Have you ever caught yourself sharing the misery of your “difficult students” with other instructors on break, or before and after class? If so take the following challenge: The next time you talk about a student with anyone else make it something constructive and positive. Then as you walk away from the conversation pat yourself on the back and consider how good it feels to build up others instead of tearing them down. I’m convinced when you treat people exactly like you see them you get the results you expect.  It’s like mining for diamonds, you move tons and tons of dirt to find a single gem diamond – but you don’t go into the mine looking for dirt — you go in looking for the gems. According to Earl Nightingale; “Our environment, the world in which we live and work, is a...