TEHRAN The house and birth place of Prof. Hessabi, known as the father of physics and mathematics among the educated strata in Iran was recently declaired as the national heritage. The house located in Vahdat Eslami Ave. is visited every day by hundreds of the late master's lovers. It was a good opportunity to pay a visit to the house and prepare a comprehensive report on Hassabi's life and on his personal posessions on display in his house.

An arch porch made of brick and a large green door give entrance to a greener garden and a larger mansion, once home to the dynamic and ever-green spirit of the great Iranian professor and the father of physics in Iran, Dr. Mahmoud Hessabi. His place is green amidst the gorgeous green garden, the house, the museum, and the foundation, though one feels his presence step by step and his shadow lingering on all parts of the mansion.

Old huge trees - some rare families - grown by the man of scinece, a pool in the middle of the covered garden and a green arbor, shelter to some green tables and desks welcome you upon the first encounter. A bunch of friendly and helpful personnel administer the affairs of Dr. Mahmoud Hessabi Foundation: the manager of cultural affairs, Atefeh Navarchi, the head of electronic research department, Pedram Dorri and the manager of public relations office, Fereidoun Peida. They are all eager to talk about the outstanding personality of the professor and services he has rendered to the science and culture of Iran. The more you get familiar with his morality and success the more flames of eagerness blaze inside you.

The green area with a pool at the middle, dotted with morning-glory flowers grasp your attention. You turn your eyes around and perceive the freshness of nature to which the late Dr. Hessabi had and showed great never-ending love. The morning-glory flowers, the satff and family say, have been brought and planted from Anzali by the professor himself. Moreover, he has brought some species of plants and trees from other continents and countries and has planted them in his fascinating garden.

Dazzling it is, but you have to put all those behind to soothe your curiosity to know what is inside the building. MUSEUM Sitting there for a while, Peida showed me the way to the museum. The opening door opens in a long hallway. A portrait - almost live - of Dr. Hessabi has been laid down at the end of the way.

There are various tableaus of his various certificates, international acknowledgements and family pictures. An old worn-out armchair belonging to his mother has been placed on the right-hand corner. He used to keep everything because he believed that every thing is either reminiscent of an era in his life or a memorial from one of his relatives or friends. His children's childhood bed, their handwritings and paintings and professor's personal requirements are neatly on display at the museum.

You can even find a footprint of his cat and the picture of his lovely rooster in the museum. The successive pillars in the museum grasp your attention, as if there were some trees in each pillar. He protected the environment. For reconstruction of the building he harshly opposed cutting the trees, those you see now having roots in the house and projecting from the roof up.

Each instrument, picture, paper and device has a history and story behind. The cloth belonged to his ministerial era, a worn-out rob-de-chambre, all his glasses, cameras, pens and pencils from his childhood are displayed in the museum which are reminiscent of his management, order and discipline throughout all his life. A needle-case made of wall-plug, a simple technical drawing board tell us of a spirit of productivity born with him.

He was so careful in choosing instruments and devices for his work and house to the extent that all of the tableaus hanging on the wall of his house have been accurately chosen. One of the pictures named All Is Vanity shows a young beautiful girl looking at herself in the mirror. The interesting point is that it looks like a skeleton from a distance.

All things in the admirable museum are signs of his care, patience and attention. HIS LIFE Professor Seyed Mahmoud Hessabi was born in February 1903 in a rich family in Tehran. His parents were from Tafresh, a central Iranian city. Four years later, his father, Mo'ezz ul-Saltaneh, a government official, left Tehran for Beirut with his two sons and wife, his cousin, Goharshad Hessabi. After one year, his father, the ambassador to Beirut abandoned his family and returned to Iran. From then on they were in a poor financial condition.

They were considered as the family of an ambassador, thus were expelled from the house due to Mo'ezz ul-Saltaneh and his second wife's will. The devoted and learned mother didn't leave her sons alone. Professor Hessabi learned the Holy Qoran by heart, in which he developed a strong belief. He also was acquainted with the poems of Hafez, Sa'di, Ferdowsi and Mowlavi. His studies in high school coincided with the commencement of the World War I, and hence the French schools had to close.

After two years of studying at home, he went to the American College of Beirut, graduating with a bachelor's degree of art and science from the college at the age of seventeen. He obtained his degree of biology at the age of nineteen, and then continued his studies in civil engineering. He then studied medical science, mathematics and astronomy. He continued his research in physics on Sensibility of Photoelectric Cells and received his PhD in physics at the age of twenty five.

After educating in different fields of study, one day when he was walking on the burning sands of a seashore abroad, the sands reminded him of his hometown, Iran and Tafresh. He thought with himself, Why am I here among foreigners? Why am I teaching these foreigners instead of Iranian students? And that was his pretext for returning to Iran. Restoring Iran to its scientific position was the main concern of Dr. Hessabi. He believed that Iran once enjoyed a noticeable scientific stance and now with providing facilities for young generation, Iran can regain its lost position.

Returning to Iran, he was invited to different parties in order to enforce him to marry. Despite eagerness and interests of rich families, he chose a girl from an average family of a clergyman. He married Sediqeh Ha'eri when he was 47. His marriage was fruitful: a girl, Anousheh, and a boy, Iraj. His financial position was still inconsiderable. Even when he was minister of culture, he used to rent a house from his employee.

The trend continued until his father, Mo'ezz ul-Saltaneh, due to some policies and political strategies decided to entitle the house for Professor Hessabi. Professor Hessabi rejected the suggestion but upon the insistence of his father-in-law, finally the professor accepted to own the house. HESSABI AND HIS FAMILY RELATIONS Professor Hessaby granted certain privileges for women. He said, I owe my life to two women; first my mother, then my wife.

His wife who from her youth suffered from backache, had to walk with the help of stick. The fact would disturb the young lady, so he decided to construct iron bars around the house and roofed the yard. He strongly believed in dialog and consulting among family members in order to remove the generation gap. He himself had designed a stove working with candle for keeping the food warm during his mealtime.

He allocated one hours per day for each mealtime along with his family. He himself was trying to do all house-related affairs. Sewing means was ready on his table. He himself changed insole of his shoes. Part of his house's installations was repaired by himself. He believed in productivity. He had made a cloths hanger at the corner of his yard with the use of trunk of a pine tree.

Hessaby & Music Professor Hessaby was well acquainted with the traditional Iranian music as well as the classical Western music. He played piano and violin skillfully. He received the first prize in music school in Paris in 1927. He believed that Iranian music is a method of thinking, a philosophy and an expression of a desire. Hessaby & Sport He was active in sports and as a youngster earned his life partly by acting as swimming instructor and life guard at Mediterranean coast in Beirut. Mountain climbing, walking, bicycling, football and running were his favorite sport.

POSITIONS & SERVICES During his life, Professor Hessaby held various important scientific and cultural positions. He also founded many cultural and scientific centers in Iran such as the Civil Engineering School and the Teacher's College in 1928, the first Iranian Meteorological Station in 1931, the first Radiology Center 1931, the first Private Hospital called Goharshad in 1933, Tehran University and its Faculty of Sciences in 1934, the Telecommunication Center of Assad Abad in Hamedan in 1959, the Geographical Center of Tehran University in 1961, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, the Iranian Music Society and the Academy of Iranian Literature. His other cultural and scientific services include the first survey of Iranian coastal road-map at Persian Gulf, setting the Iranian time in 1932, writing Tehran University's charter, acting as the Dean of Technical Faculty of Tehran University from 1934-1948 and 1951-1957, heading the delegation for dispossession of British Petroleum Company during the Government of Dr. Mosaddegh, first general manager of National Iranian Oil Company, Minister of Education in Dr. Mosaddegh's government from 1951 to 1052, writing the charter for Iranian Standard Institute in 1954 and Iranian representative in United Nation's Scientific subcommittee of Peaceful use of Outer Space from 1960 to 1976.

He continued lecturing at university for three working generations, instructing seven generations of students and professors. Hessaby and Languages He spoke French, English, German and Arabic and he also knew Sanskrit, Latin, Greek, Pahlavi, Avesta, Turkish and Italian which he used for his etymological studies. When he was more than 50 years old, he started learning German. So he allocated one hour at night for learning the language.

Twenty five research papers, articles and books have been put to print by Professor Hessaby. His theory of Infinitely Extended Particles is well-known among the world scientist. The medal of Commandeur de la Legion d'Honneur, greatest French scientific medal was awarded to him for his theories. Professor Hessaby was the only Iranian student of Professor Albert Einstein. During the congress of 60 Years of Physics in Iran the service rendered by him were deeply appreciated and he was entitled The Father of Iranian Physic. Professor Hessaby passed away on September 3, 1992 while medical caring at Geneva Cardiac Hospital. He was buried in Tafresh according to his wish and his will.

It should be mentioned that the abovesaid services, researches and positions are just a drop from the unending extended seashore of his life. But a question raised here is that why we praise elites after they leave the material world. Isn't it better to appreciate the elites while they are living ad use their experiences at their life time?