CLASS OF 1879

The following appeared as an editorial in the Boston Transcript of August 17:

AS H. B. THAYER RETIRES Rugged moral strength often comes down from Vermont. Mental capacity is nurtured there also, as the nation well knows. But not always are these important resources of the Green Mountain State both found, in a large way, in one man. Harry B. Thayer, who is just now retiring from the chairmanship of the board of directors of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, possesses them both, and the combination fully explains the leadership which he won in this great corporation. Remarkably rugged force of character he has harnessed to the service of remarkably keen and discriminating intelligence.

The story is told, in an authoritative way, that Theodore N. Vail's chief reason for the choice of Mr. Thayer to succeed him as president of the company- was that he "found everyone suggesting, whenever a particularly hard nut came up to crack, that Harry Thayer should be given a whack at it. I soon discovered that this confidence in Thayer had been earned by his record. No matter what problem was put up to him, he found some way of solving it."

Here is evidence, surely, of that form of "New England conscience" which always schooled men to face hard things first, even to seek out obstacles for the mere sake of hardship. But even the best of discipline cannot go far, in the world of practical attainment, without the guidance of special intelligence. Here one has to turn to Mr. Thayer himself for a key to his success in solving hard problems easily. He is quoted as having said that he took his philosophy of life and work from an old Yankee carpenter, who was noted for doing his jobs without ever having any waste lumber left over.

"How do you manage it?" Thayer asked him.

"Son," replied the old man,"I measure twice and cut once."

Extraordinary "measuring power" Mr. Thayer developed in the study of practical problems, not only of commercial development, but of technical

science and industrial management. And in whatever exploration he carried on in search of facts, he never became enfevered by the mere excitement of the chase. He has remained always steady, a balance-wheel for those roundabout him, even in moments of the most sudden and trying emergency.

As such he has served as one of the real builders of this modern nation, who now is well entitled to rest, for a time, upon his laurels. Vermont has no native son of whom it may more justly be proud, Dartmouth no alumnus who has better repaid the college for the early training it gave him, and New England no better example of the country-wide use- fulness which often results from a career well founded on New England character.

NOTE: "Carey" retired on his seventieth birthday, and now, having reached years of discretion, proposes to give attention, even more than heretofore, to the affairs of Dartmouth College.

Secretary, 165 Broadway, New Yor