Bucknell University - L Agenda Yearbook (Lewisburg, PA)

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David IJ or terlLeas. Zh.yU. ' X.ali Oraasurcr of the oar of Orustccs of ucKncIl l nivcrsity 18824916 £ U!, TFcbruarj 9, 1916

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LJAGELNDy 1Q17 LAIER SMITH PETTIT, to the meimiry of whom this l)ook lias 1ieen fondly dedicated by his classmates, dietl at tlie Williamsport Private Hospital on No- A ' ember eleventh last, the ictim of a sndden attack of appendicitis. But nineteen years of age, he was a member of the Class of 19 17. and was enrolled as a student in the Jurisprudence Course. His clean character, his manliness, his good nature and numerous other traits, which go so far toward making an almost perfect lieing. set him apart, as one of Bucknell ' s most popular and influential students. His death was a severe blow to the College. Having prepared at Woodstown High School, Mr. Pettit entered Bucknell in the fall of 191 3. During his freshman vear he was activelv engaged in all class activities and became a mem- ber of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. ' ith the ability to put his whole heart in his work, Elmer made a success of his e ' ery undertaking, and would to quote the words of a professor, undoubtedly ha e Ijecome a leader of his fellciwmen. His last two years at college were characterized b ' honest endeavor and straightforwardness of purpose. As a member of the Track and ' Varsity Football sciuads, his sportsmanship and gameness were ever manifest; these sterling (|ualities luadc him a true friend and fellow student to us all. He was laid to rest in the Friends Grounds near his home at Woodstown, X ' . J., after a short liut rich oung life.

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UAGELNDy 1Q17 i)avi6 4 orter Ceas .lEX the first hundred tliousaiid dollar endowment was raised for our f college, by William Shadrach, D.D.. lie visited a family in Shirleysburg, Y Pennsylvania, and secured from the head of the family a contribution, and V ??i with it the beginning of an important interest for the Institution. In the family was a lad, who afterwards, a youth of seventeen, entered the col- lege as a Freshman and four years later graduated as Bachelor of Arts, in 1863. The youth ' s name was David Porter Leas, a name given to him because of the intimate friendship of his father with Porter, Governor of Pennsylvania. Others of the family followed the lead of young David to Lewisburg, Miss Mary G. Leas, now Mrs. K. Allen Lovell, graduated from the Institute in 1865; Miss Emily J. Leas, now Mrs. W. V. Emery, in 1866; Miss Belle C. Leas, now Mrs. John Dunn, Jr., in 1871, and Julia E. Leas, Mrs. Speer, in 1873. Hon. William B. Leas, the father, continued a staunch friend of the Institution and contributed to its funds and was till 1882, a member of the Board when he was succeeded by his son, Mr. David Porter Leas was thus a member of the Board from 1882 to the time of his death. 1916, nearly thirty-four years. During that time he missed only two or three meetings of the Board, and was always wise and conciliatory in his advice and action. In 1882, Mr. Leas was elected Treasurer and served in that capacity till his death. The office of Treasurer is one of the most important in any Institution. No ability, learning and consecration in a faculty can overcome the disadvantage of badly managed finances. The case of the invested funds during the years of Mr. Leas ' treasurership, and chiefly through him and Mr. Harry S. Hopper, chairman of the Board, was prob- abl} ' unsurpassed by any similar Institution in the countrj ' . In 1890, Mr. Leas proposed to the president that he retire from the treasurership because of the mass of work connected with the current account, but was induced to continue by the President ' s taking upon himself the management of the current finance, and Mr. Leas retaining general oversight of it, and the entire charge of the endow- ment. While the raising of funds, the erection of buildings and the management of the current receipts and expenditures were given over to the President, yet no extra- ordinary expenditure was made without the advice of the Treasurer wdio also received and examined weekly statements of receipts and expenditures sent him by the Regis- trar to whom were entrusted the details of the business. For none of his services did Mr. Leas ever receive a penny of compensation from the Institution. In raising funds for buildings and endowments, Mr. Leas was always one of the first to lead with a liberal pledge, and to help, if it were needed, in closing the subscription. The President makes it a rule in raising funds of any amount, to be assured where half of the amount proposed is coming from, before the enterprise is launched. Mr. Leas was always among those who definitely gave their adhesion and pledge to the proposed effort. But Mr. Leas ' interest was not confined to the financial interest of the Institution. After graduation from College, he took a course in Divinity at Rochester and spent one year in the Pastorate. Though called aside by the necessities of business and very suc- cessful in it he was always essentially a minister. In the College he took a great inter- est in the Christian Associations and contributed liberally to them. He was faithful and devoted to Christian work everywhere, both with gifts and service. The greatest contribution, however, of David Porter Leas to the good of mankind was himself. He was keen and sound of judgment, tenacious of purpose and concilia- tory of manner, and without the self-will so often characteristic of successful men — of the strictest integrity, of equable temperament, of simple faith, of kindly heart he was wherever he went a living Epistle known and read of all man — in whom they recog- nized lineaments of the Master.