Lebanon University - Link Yearbook (Lebanon, OR)

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ALFRED HOLHROOK Ujuyv Xim'fy-Mrm'l

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discipline, or sympathy with the violator, was to be found in the unmanly and servile position in which the pupils were placed by the faculty and teachers. The free and genial intercourse between teachers and pupils at the old normal characterized that institution and was carried into the extreme by Prof. Hol- brook himself. When the school was founded in 1855 under the title of the Southwestern Ohio Normal School it opened in the old academy building at Lebanon with ninety pupils from that town and only four from outside of Leb- anon. There were but three teachers besides Principal Holbrook, one of these being Mrs. Melissa Holbrook, his wife. The faculty was composed of A. J. Kickoff, of Cincinnati; E. C. Ellis, of Georgetown, and Charles Rogers, of Day- ton. During the second year the out-of-town attendance became so great that there was difliculty in finding accommodations for them, even at high rates. Prof. Holbrook then adopted an original feature which has been one of the important factors in the success of the school-the provision and mainten- ance of dormitories under his personal supervision. There were a number of vacant houses in Lebanon at that time and these were fitted up to take care of the two hundred and fiftywsix pupils Who were then enrolled. Most of these pupils boarded themselves and Prof. Holbrook went so far as to personally assist them in selecting proper wholesome food and arranging substantial menus that could be purchased at low prices. When the attendance of the school grew to the thousands this feature was maintained and personally supervised by Prof. Holbrook just as it had been at its inception. This matter of food was given particular attention by the noted educator at all times and was one of the important features of his system. The writing on the very valuable books that he published he did at an early hour in the morning before he had eaten the light meal which he called breakfast. This habit of studying before eating he urged upon those under his instruction and when a pupil appeared dull and slow of comprehension in morning class he was often told that ham and eggs and pancakes were not conducive to alert in- tellects, especially during the hours immediately succeeding the repast. Nor was Prof. Holbrook given to the gratification of personal vanities. While his ridicule of the frivolities of dress was couched in general terms, often in the class room he would reprove either man or woman who seemed too conscious of their personal appearance or seemed inclined to follow the intricacies of the prevailing fashions. It was no part of his theory or practice to discourage innocent amusement but rather he promoted sociability among his pupils and his democratic manner in the class room and upon all other occasions made him one among them, winning their respect, admiration and a feeling of good will. THE FAMOUS GENERAL EXT It was during the third year of the school that Prof. Holbrook published his book iiNorInal Methods, which had a large circulation and was translated into Japanese for the schools of that country, where it is now in use. This book attracted many pupils from all parts of the nation and the following year the enrollment approached four hundred. The name of the institution was changed in 1870 to The National Normal School? and later the word tischool was changed to university? Another educational book was published by tPnge Ninefy-tzrol

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Prof. Holbrook about this time under the title of School Management, and together with his English Grammar and uTraining Lessons became quite popular, the grammar especially being very widely used. One of the features of the system at the Old Normal which endeared its principal in the hearts of his pupils was the famous nGeneral Ex. This was the opening exercise each day and here Prof. Holbrook appeared as his stu- dents remember him most vividly. He was a man of small stature, slightly gray, Vigorous in his movements, indomitable of will, full of resources, of a lofty and noble ambition, grandly impressed with the magnitude and importw ance of his work, crisp and incisive in conversation, genial, social and domes- tic, faithful in the religion of his Puritan ancestors, vigorously severe in every moral precept and practice, faithful and generous to his friends, benevolent to a fault, sustaining freely with purse and personal effort every worthy enter- prise. For the first eleven years the school had been governed under a definite code of laws made at General Ex by the voice of the students themselves. But the success of the continued relaxation in the rigor of discipline seemed to Prof. Holbrook to warrant the dropping Of these rules, depending entirely upon the good will of the students. This honor system, as emplifled by the principal himself, justified his theory and added to the respect and love which the pupils evidenced toward their beloved professor. Though all of the stu- dents were pledged to attendance at itGeneral Ex every morning, the calling of the roll was discontinued and the attendance increased where a dropping off might have been expected. At this exercise the necessary changes in daily class were announced; the time and place of weekly exercises such as debating and composition were made known; the appointment of committees for any special purpose, the caring for the sick, class discussions and reports of vari- ous committees were also arranged. This great variety of exercises, crowded into a brief period of forty-five minutes and presided over by Prof. Holbrook, never failed to produce some agreeable excitement and became one of the feat- ures of the institution. Seldom did a student ever miss General Ex and then only when it was impossible for him t0 be present. ASSISTING THE YOUNG Those characteristics which made Prof. Holbrook the idol of his pupils, and which were responsible for his success and that of the normal, are largely embodied in these two paragraphs which are taken from his writings: nIn the continued service of over forty years, chieiiy devoted to helping the young to manage themselves and to establish these good habits for life, namely tll 0f cheerful, earnest industry for the love of it; ml of careful, persistent investigation for the love of it; GB of useful, benevolent activity for the love of it; Hi of systematic, determined work for the love of it, the writer has had an interesting Work, a positive and ever-increasing enjoyment. It would be ungrateful, indeed, not to acknowledge the guidance and aid of a good Providence, ever giving measurable success in wished-for attainments and new inspiration for further advances in bringing the spirit and power of the New Testament into the school room. tilt has been my earnest and prayerful desire to exclude the paralyzing effect of tyranny and rote from the school room by introducing the spirit of lib- tPage Ninetyefourl