▁stell ar ▁par alla xes ▁photograph ically ▁at ▁Y erk es ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 5 , ▁and ▁Mitchell ▁( al ong ▁with ▁Frederick ▁S loc um ) ▁carried ▁out ▁research ▁applying ▁the ▁technique , ▁publishing ▁their ▁results ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 3 . ▁At ▁that ▁point , ▁he ▁was ▁offered ▁the ▁director ship ▁at ▁the ▁Le ander ▁McC orm ick ▁Observ atory ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Virginia . ▁Mitchell ▁spent ▁much ▁of ▁his ▁time ▁and ▁energy ▁as ▁director ▁coming ▁up ▁with ▁funds ▁for ▁running ▁the ▁observ atory ▁and ▁pay ing ▁staff ▁and ▁gradu ate ▁students . ▁Mitchell ▁started ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁phot ographic ▁pl ates ▁with ▁the ▁visual ▁ 2 6 - inch ▁ref ractor ▁shortly ▁after ▁his ▁arrival ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Virginia . ▁He ▁became ▁well ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁work ▁on ▁stell ar ▁par alla xes ▁and ▁phot ometry . ▁Dr . ▁Mitchell ▁was ▁liked ▁by ▁fac ulty ▁and ▁students ▁al ike , ▁known ▁for ▁helping ▁to ▁bring ▁prest ige ▁to ▁the ▁University . ▁ ▁Society ▁M embers hips ▁Mitchell ▁was ▁elected ▁Director ▁Emer it us ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁with ▁a ▁wealth ▁of ▁academic ▁and ▁scientific ▁hon ors ▁attributed ▁to ▁him . ▁▁ ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁following ▁soci eties : ▁National ▁Academy ▁of ▁Sciences ▁( elect ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 , ▁elected ▁to ▁council ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁awarded ▁James ▁Craig ▁Watson ▁Medal ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 ), ▁American ▁Association ▁for ▁the ▁Ad van