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William
Meggers knew the value of hard work at a very young age. Throughout
his secondary school career he balanced farm chores and schoolwork.
His diligence was rewarded when he graduated as valedictorian
of his high school class. A tuition scholarship awaited him
at Ripon College in Wisconsin. Once there, he would take an
interest in physics, thanks to the inspiring tutelage of Professor
William H. Barber.
 But
the road ahead was still grueling for Meggers. He would again
be forced to split his time between school and working odd
jobs to make his way. After graduating from Ripon and working
as Dr. Barber's assistant, it was onward to graduate school
at the University of Wisconsin. A year into his graduate program
and facing continuing financial woes, Meggers decided to focus
on educating others. He became an instructor of physics in
Pittsburgh's Carnegie Institute of Technology.
After
a hiatus from graduate school, during which Meggers developed
an interest in spectroscopy, he went on to receive his Masters
degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1916 and his Ph.D.
from the Johns Hopkins University in 1917. By the time he
was finished at Hopkins, Dr. Meggers had already established
himself professionally by working for the National Bureau
of Standards in Washington, D.C.
Although
Meggers' early life was divided between work and school, he
was able to maintain a balance between the two. As a result,
he was exposed to invaluable physics research experiences
well before he completed his formal education. But as a pioneer
of new spectroscopic methods, it suffices to say that Dr.
Meggers never really finished educating himself. It is no
mystery why he believed in the importance of physics education,
and his perspective is now embodied in the award that bears
his name.
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