The Merle E. and Elizabeth Jacobs Endowment Fund

Professor of Biology Merle E. Jacobs, Goshen College class of 1948, taught at Goshen during the 1953-54 year and then from 1964 until his retirement in 1985.  Jacobs served in Civilian Public Service at Jasper Pulaski Game Preserve near Medaryville, Ind., and at Howard, R.I.  He received a doctorate in zoology, and did postdoctoral studies and teaching at Duke University from 1954 until 1957. He then taught at Bethany College in West Virginia and Eastern Mennonite College in Harrisonburg, Va., before returning to Goshen.

During this time span of 30 years, Jacobs was also doing research sponsored by the National Institutes of Health in the area of biochemical genetics of melanin pigmentation relative to adaptation, which had implications for aging and other health related issues. Students helped with research as he received grants from the National Institutes of Health.

Jacobs’ research began as he studied the relationships between living things such as insects, birds, fish and the natural world. He was an avid researcher in animal behavior. He particularly studied dragonflies, fruit flies (drosophila), fish and birds. With the help of his video photography, he spent many years teaching in environmental education, both in the community and in camp settings. He always had a deep concern for the wise use and conservation of natural resources. The objective of his research for the National Institutes of Health and for environmental education was to help promote quality of life for all living things. In 1999, Naturebooks published his book, Mr. Darwin Misread Miss Peacock’s Mind, which critiqued Charles Darwin’s idea that female animals select mates on the basis of beauty for the sake of beauty.

Jacobs was born November 30, 1918, in Johnstown, Pa., and married Elizabeth Beyeler on June 7, 1959. Elizabeth (Liz as she was known by friends and family) was in her later 20s when she graduated from Goshen College in 1956 with a degree in education.  In 1964, she earned a master’s degree in education from James Madison University.  She was a dedicated teacher from many years and instilled in her students a real curiosity and love of learning.  Throughout her teaching career, she taught in 10 different schools.  Her last assignment was at Jefferson Elementary School, north of Goshen, where she taught for 20 years.

Liz shared a concern with Merle regarding environmental issues and how human activity in our world affects all forms of life.  It can be said that she, like Merle, had a desire to promote environmental education to improve the quality of life for all living things.  In their later years, they were active in sharing information about the negative effects of industrial run-off into the watershed around their Middlebury property and various other concerns about noise and air pollution in the local communities.  Merle wrote many letters to local newspaper editors and while Liz didn’t write the letters, she stood in strong agreement with him.  Their concerns where always well researched and reasoned so it is in that spirit that their fund is in place to assist Goshen College students in their research efforts for generations to come.