Knox College - Gale Yearbook (Galesburg, IL)

Page 9 text:

Dedication O those sons of Knox who have passed from her cole leqe circle within the past qear-to those three men who so well manifested the Knox spirit- Philip S. Post as alumnus and trustee, Herbert E.. Griflith as teacher and registrar, Robert F. Midkijj' as an undergraduate leader - do we dedicate this, The Cjale of nineteen hundred twentuftwo.

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Published for the Class Of 1922 bu Alice Barndt Glidden B. Reeve

Page 10 text:

N a very real sense much of the greater, better Knox we are enjoying to-day is due to the services of Professor Griffith, Judge Post, and Robert Midkiff. Of Professor Griflith's love and devotion to Knox-how absolutely inadequate are mere words, it is but a short time ago he was here among us, advising, guiding, leading, steadfast, always anxious to push forward tc achieve the better Knoxg even his exacting de- mands for accuracy sprang from a love for the College, whose standards and ideals he would never lower. Few have given as loyal service on the Board of Trustees as Judge Post. Last year, even when weakened by sickness, he encouraged all with his optimism and insistence that the financial campaign then being planned, should have a high goal. The success of the endowment campaign of 1920 was largely due to his vision and efforts. Many of us remember that most remarkable speech of Bob Midkiffus at his last Foun- ders' Day banquet, a speech by a man who had left college to serve his country, who had seen other colleges and other college men, but who, in spite of unusual difficulties, responded to the call of his heart and returned to make Knox his alma mater. Although differing in age, position, and relation to the College, these three Knox men had many traits in common. Each was distinguished in his field, so powerful they could easily have become domineering, yet in all their relations with their fellows, they were quiet, modest, unassuming. Philip S. Post was vice president of one of the greatest industrial organizations of to- day: to him was entrusted the whole problem of the relationship of the International Harves- ter Company with the employees and with the public. Due largely to his genius and tact.. this Company has worked out the most far-reaching scheme of profit-sharing yet devised. Meekness and lack of personal concern for himself were the paramount traits of Profes- sor Griflith. His alma mater, a great university, recognizing his unique contribution to Knox and to education throughout Illinois, desired to confer on him its honorary master's degree, for three weeks, the invitation was unanswered, because he could not make himself feel worthy of the honor. As president of the Federation of Illinois Colleges, he was deeply conscious of the fact that he was the only professor ever selected for this presidency, seemingly forgetting that the success of the Federation was in large measure due to his years of faithful service as its Secretary. Nor was Robert Midkiff a boaster. As he passed you on the campus, always with that happy smile, he gave no outward sign that he, of all of us at Knox, most nearly had a national reputation because of his distinguished war record. Although only at Knox six months of his senior year it is said he knew more freshmen than any other man in his class. His diary ac- count of the flight along the Atlantic coast, when he was lost for many hours and the papers of the land flashed the news of the danger he faced, shows that even death itself did not make him lose that spirit of unselfishness, of meekness, that pervaded his character.