ALLEN W. ROOT On November 11 and 12, 1988, a "Festschrift" was held to honor "our Chief;' Lewis A. Barness. Who is our Chief, and why was such an occasion held? I will not attempt to describe him in terms of his scientific and scholarly accomplish ments, which have spanned more than four decades. Rather, I will describe the characteristics of an individual whose concern for humanity has made him the quintessential role model for countless students, residents, and graduate pediatri cians around the world. The Chief's concern is manifested by his love for chil dren and his tireless efforts on their behalf, as well as his genuine affection for his colleagues, all of whom are also his friends. During the 2-day celebration, many of these friends had an opportunity to make comments which I believe capture portions of the essence of this remark able human being: Many of us are better persons because of our association with the "Chief . . .: ' Many of us have chosen pediatrics as a career as an unspoken act of tribute to him . . . . We love you and we thank you for making the world a better place to spend some time. (F. Oski) Lew fulfilled all our dreams . . . We all wish we could have done half so well. (R. Klein) Your] ever-present evidence of concern for your fellow man . . . it is the quality of car ing. (T."