Hobart College - Echo of the Seneca Yearbook (Geneva, NY)

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Robert Stewart Hayes. In dedicating this volume of THF: ECHO to Robert Stewart Hayes, the Editorial Board on behalf of the entire Junior class wishes to pay a tribute to a classmate who, during the short year and a quarter that he was allowed to be with them, showed himself profoundly interested in his class and in his college, and who became endeared individually to all who knew him. He was born in Bulfalo, N.Y., on May ninth, eighteen hundred seventy- nine, and used to say that as he was born at four o'clock in the morning, the advent of such an early and prosperous arrival created so much excitement that he was unable to sleep for the rest of the day 3 that for this reason per- haps, he had been sleepy ever since, and that he should never cease to regret the loss of that day's sleep. From that time until the Fall of eighteen hundred ninety-five, he moved to various places with his family and in consequence attended as many as nine different schools, remaining at no one school for any considerable length of time. In his early youth, then, he did nothing especially worthy of note and in this respect he once said, One will find, I think, that the early lives of great men are, for the most part, very simple, and that there is nothing in their lives to distinguish them from the hundreds and thousands of others who do not become great. In this respect, I resemble all great men g the possibilities therefore of my becoming a great man are good 5 the proba- bilities however at the present time are rather dull. In the fall of 1895, Bohn entered the Riverview Academy at Poughs keepsie, New York and after remaining there for three years graduated, and in September, 1898, entered Hobart. He immediately became promi- nently identified with his class interests, was present on all inter-class occa- sions, and took part in the inter-class contests. He became an acknowledged leader in class alfairs and was especially noted for his cleverness in outwit- ting Sophomores. A year passed, and at the opening of the Sophomore year he again took prominent part in inter-class aifairs and led in class contests. In November, 1899, however, he was taken suddenly ill and after a lingering illness of nearly three months, he died on January 17, IQOO. On January X , 9

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ROBERT STENVA RT HAYES

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I8 his funeral service was held in St. John's chapel. Dr. Leighton officiated at the service and the college choir sang. A few days later his body was taken to Boston where it received burial. Should any one endeavor to analyze Bob's character and to End what virtue it was that won for him the affection and deep concern of his fellows, he would 'rind it to bea deep interest in others, accompanying an utter lack of self-interest. Bob was to all a model for disinterested class and college spirit and for him may be said, what is the most that can be said for anyone whose premature death prevents the full development of powers and talents, We are the better for his having lived. N xg'--:QQ ff!!! 'fis t ' 'I I r'Q? ? cg-eff! IO