Class of 1895
I omitted to say in this column of the June issue that I called on "Gerry" in Princeton last April. He appeared to be as energetic and full of business as always. He is filling a very important and exacting position as head of the Princeton Library. Under "Gerry's" guidance Mrs. Stevens and I were given a view of Princeton, including, of course, historic Nassau Hall. "Gerry" left nothing undone to make our brief visit a pleasant one. After taking us to lunch he finally consented to let us go on our way South.
Dr. and Mrs. A. D. West announce the marriage of their daughter, Margaret Eluvia, to Mr. Gerald Lawler on Saturday, July 10, at the first Congregational church in Moline, 111. In the book review of the New York Tunes of July 18 appears the following:
"After three years of intensive work,'American Newspapers, 1821-1936, a UnionList of Files Available in the United Statesand Canada' has been finished. It presentsa geographical arrangement by places ofpublication of the files of newspapersfound in libraries, and, as far as possible,those that are preserved in county courthouses, in newspaper offices, and in privatecollections."
Dr. Clarence S. Brigham compiled and published in the Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society (1913-1928) a "Bibliography of American Newspapers, 1690-1820," in which he gave the history and filed locations of every journal, by which he earned the gratitude of present and future scholars and research workers.
"Gerry" of our class took up the work where Dr. Brigham left it and has completed it. Apprecation of "Gerry's" valuable work is expressed in the review as follows:
"Dr. James Thayer Gerould, librarianof Princeton University, has put studentsunder an equal obligation by completingthis work from the point where Dr. Brigham left off. The Rockefeller Foundationfinanced the project, and a supervisorycommittee was formed of Dr. Gerould, Dr.Harry Miller Lydenberg, and HenrySpaulding Parsons."
During the summer vacation, I communicated with each member of the class, requesting news of the doings of the various classmates. "P. I." Morrison was the first to respond. His letter appears below. There is much food for thought in it. I hope that it will stimulate members of the class to respond by commenting on what Morrison says.
"The most interesting thing about my year has been my retirement from active service in the University of Chicago. I have been in the professorship for eighteen years, and under the statutes of the University we all go on service pension at the end of the year in which we reach age 6g.
"The year, finds me with health fully regained, and, as I hope, able to keep on studying and writing for a long time to come. Mrs. Morrison has also recovered out of her dire peril of two years and a half ago.
"The world of our old age is not a happy one. As I look out on it, it seems to me to be an age of consummate quacks in most lines of human activity outside of the established sciences, and even they are not clear of the curse of self-seeking found in the items for newspaper notoriety. The great institutions of the drama, literature in general, the law and the state, commerce and industry, seem to me to have fallen into the hands of a class of men and women whose obsession is essentially anarchy. And worst of all has the blow fallen on education.
"The men of my time, being convinced that education has a logic of its own to be sought by the painstaking route of scientific method, accomplished a good deal in the establishment of defensible proceedings in the schoolroom and college. But we are being succeeded by a crew who are essentially ignorant and undisciplined, people whose own education is merely the output of our diploma and degree mills, who have never been teachers and schoolmasters themselves, and who assert the privilege of telling a gullible public what's what—and for the most part get away with it. As a class, they exemplify the old adage, 'Those who can, do. Those who cannot, teach. Those who cannot teach, teach others to teach." The result is a prodigious amount of infanticism in the younger generation, which easily passes over into psycho-neurotic troubles and crime. More than that, civic, economic, and moral anarchy is being more or less systematically bred into the rising generation in the schools and colleges.
"You read a good deal about this in the newspapers, and I hope the class has enough confidence in me, for old sake's sake, if nothing more, to believe me when I say that the newspapers are largely right about it."
Here is news of "Billy" Foster and his family taken from a recent letter.
"As to my family, my three children arehappily married, Mrs. Douglas N. Everettof Concord, Mrs. Wynn Mack Rainbolt Jr.of Chicago, and Robert E. Foster of Concord. As for me, I have nothing in particular to report. Most of my activities areexpended in my office, rather than traveling about, with occasional games of golf.
"I shall look forward to the next reunion. It seems to me that the class as awhole has done pretty well in escaping thevicissitudes of life."
I quote also from Jesse Marden's last letter.
"I am sure you have been daily interested in the political development in Washington. From the distance it looks as if Mr. Roosevelt has made two very serious mistakes. One in giving Lewis his tacit if not open approval, and the second in giving the country the idea that he will not allow even the Supreme Court to limit his authority. I hope that the struggle in the Senate may reveal a stronger opposition than the President realizes. God knows there is need of a change of heart in the highest officials as well as the common protectors of the law.
"I wish you could have attended the closing exercises at our Armenian School in Lipasma. It is perched on the bare rock above Piraeus, surrounded by a community of very poor refugees, perhaps the poorest section of the city. Here we have a small chapel and a school for about 175 children. Mrs. Marden and I arrived a little late, and the hall was packed to the doors; with some difficulty seats were provided for us, and yet people managed to push in till there was hardly an inch of space left unoccupied. The ingenuity of the teachers in presenting the small plays, dialogues, and music was really remarkable. Literally bricks were made without straw. Some of us had helped the teachers to provide dresses for poorest children. Many of them wore simple sandals on their feet made out of pasteboard with a little ribbon or rag to tie them on. From the kindergarten children up they were dressed very daintily and the program was most interesting. It was a hot afternoon, and though everybody was sweltering the interest kept up to the very end. Among the children were a few gifted ones who were very attractive and resourceful. I was asked to say a few words to the graduating class and the friends who had packed into our chapel. It is a great satisfaction to think that promising children may be found in such an unfavorable environment. It gives one new hope and courage as you see the results accomplished.
"Two of the recent graduates spoke to me at the close of the exercises and expressed the desire to come some evening to see Mrs. Marden and myself. These two young people are as attractive as any I know in the city."
In a letter received from "Hobbs" Pollard in July he says:
"Shall resign my present position onSeptember i and will then return toGroveland, Mass. (in retirement) for alast period of complete relaxation and freedom from further administrative responsibilities."
The position "Hobbs" refers to is that of commissioner of health in Evanston, 111. His splendid record is suggested by the following two letters. The first from the Evanston Chamber of Commerce and the second from the Chamber of Commerce of the United States.
"Evanston Chamber of Commerce Chamber of Commerce Building 518 Davis Street Evanston, Illinois
April 26, 1932.
"Dr. John W. H. Pollard, Commissioner of Health, Evanston, Illinois.
"Dear Dr. Pollard:
"You may be interested in knowing that at our last regular membership meeting, on Monday, April 25, on motion duly seconded and carried, the following resolution was passed by the members present:
"Resolved, that the Chamber of Commerce, through its board of directors, extend a vote of thanks to Dr. John W. H. Pollard, health commissioner of Evanston, in acknowledgment of the deep appreciation of the Chamber of Commerce for the splendid work of the health department and for Dr. Pollard's part in winning for Evanston the first award for 1931 in the National Inter-Chamber Health Conservation Contest; and that, further, the Chamber of Commerce pledge to the commissioner of health and to his department its hearty co-operation in the future."
"Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America Washington
"Office of the President. April so, 1932. "Dr. John W. H. Pollard, Health Officer, Department of Health, Evanston, Illinois.
"Dear Dr. Pollard: "The Chamber of Commerce of the United States is glad to advise you that Evanston was the winning city among Class IV cities in the 1931 Inter-Chamber Health Conservation Contest. It is a pleasure to congratulate your city health department and your other local health agencies on the health programs being carried out for your community. Please convey to all agencies that helped to make possible the accomplishments of your city in health conservation, the appreciation of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States."
Here is a letter recently received from "H. Dan" Watson.
"Yours received inquiring as to my doings and welfare. Would that I had something interesting and worth while to tell you!
"But facts is facts, even as pigs is pigs. "Firstly, I am well for my years and comfortable. Since May 18 I have been lazily quartered here. And here deserves explanation.
"Three years ago I bought ten acres of field land on the old hill where I was born, including the dilapidated 'Little Red Schoolhouse' which served to house my earliest education (?). I righted the thing up and little by little revamped the interior into a sort of summer camp. Then I built a combination cowshed-hencoopgarage. These transformation and construction activities engaged me in spare time for some two years, while I observed the inevitable approaching. Having been practically 'relieved' from teaching a year ago last June (in this era of young-man efficiency), I became a sort of ragged gentleman-at-large, and am now digging in as best I can to stay off relief; and I expect to accomplish this purpose if I escape lingering disability and bite the dust at any reasonable date.
"In short, I have turned light farmer with cow, hens, pig, and an acre of planted crops. I stay on here until the cold drives me back to town in the quarters where you have seen me—perhaps till the latter part of October.
"Such is my story. No grandchildren born to me so far, simply because I have no children. I haven't seen a '95 man since I saw you.
"The Mrs. is waiting for me to finish this, so she may take me to town and set me working for her, so this must suffice. "EDWARD S. WATSON " 'H. Dan' "—not much changed."
Secretary, White River Junction, Vt.
