Moses Brown School - Mosaic Yearbook (Providence, RI)

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Under the personal supervision of the mission, the work extended over a wide area and benefitted thousands. It consisted in providing food for a sup- plementary meal every day to five thousand ap- prentices and medical students, and to 5,000 children in each of two areas in thecountry. In addition, clothing was distributed to appren- tices, teachers, and students, especially to refugee students. Substantial distributions of food and cloth- ing were also made to institutions, chiefly for chil- dren and old people. Altogether, hundreds of tons of food and clothing, all supplied by the Friends Serv- ice Committee, were distributed by the mission. During the last six months of his work, Mr. Thomas was also chairman of the Council of Foreign Relief Agencies, which met bi-weekly to discuss problems of relief and establish understanding with governmental offices. On July 2, 1947, when Mr. and Mrs. Thomas completed their work, they were decorated by the Hungarian government. The Prime Minister con- ferred upon Mr. Thomas a Cross of the Order of Merit with a citation. Mrs. Thomas, who gave much personal assistance to individuals, was awarded the Golden Cross of the Order. Mr. Thomas has persistently strived to keep him- self and the entire staff of Moses Brown abreast of the times. Through his own membership in pro- fessional groups and his encouragement of teachers to do advanced study, visit schools, and join profes- Views of the Thomas home on the Cape , .. , Mr. and IVIH. Thomas in their living room at Ylforer Brown Furthermore, Mr. Thomas began a program of gradual changes to make the best and fullest possible use of the school properties for the boys. Tennis courts, three new playing fields, an attractive Lower School gymnasium, a music room, a modern infirmary, and many houses for married masters were only a small part of the program. In 1946 Mr. and Mrs. Thomas again heeded the call of the American Friends Service Committee and took a year's leave of absence from Moses Brown to head a mission of relief work in Hungary. sional associations, the School has maintained its high academic standing. Mr. Thomas' active part in such local organizations as the Barnard Club, the R. I. Secondary School Principals' Association, the Inde- pendent Schools Association of R. I., of which he was an organizer and hrst president, and the R. I. Society for Mental Hygiene has identified the School closely with the educational affairs of city and state, as his work with the Quaker Headmasters and Head- masters Association has given it prominence out- side the state. In recognition of these services he was elected president of several of these groups, granted an honorary Sc. D. by the R. I. College of Pharmacy and Allied Sciences, and in 1935 was made a life trustee of Brown University. Mr. Thomas' contributions to Moses Brown School are immeasurable. The feeling that many of us have concerning him was expressed by E. Gardner Jacobs, Vice-President of Bryant College, when he said, I have enjoyed his outlook on many matters, particu- larly his sympathetic and sincere interest in young people, their aims and ambitions. It is a great satis- faction to me as an alumnus to have him so highly regarded in civic and communal affairs as well as in educational circles. His wide scope of interests adds luster to Moses Brown and broadens the horizon of the young men who are privileged to study under the guidance of Dr. L. Ralston Thomas. We shall miss him.

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if!! It Ja N., X Z ? 2 K' 5-TB' X, V j . JK 5 M- 5 -5 The retirement of L. Ralston Thomas after thirty-four years of service to Moses Brown School brings to a close the longest administration in the Schools history. All those connected with the School deeply regret his leaving for Mr. Thomas has been one of the most outstanding and most popular headmasters in Moses Brown School s history. Besides being a very capable educational administrator, he has been a living example of a distinguished and friend- ly gentleman for all boys who have been privileged to attend Moses Brown School in the last thirty-four years. The spiritual, physical, mental, and social development of the youth under his guidance will always be a tribute to him. L. Ralston Thomas matriculated at Haverford College in the fall of 1909, achieving there a very enviable record. l 1 7 Q Mr. Thomas Circa 1922 In his freshman year in addition to the academic work, he was a track star, won his numeral in track, soccer, and cricket, and was a member of the class football team. He received the Congdon Prize Ball for the Best Freshman Bowler and toured England with the cricket team. As a sophomore he won his letter in track, was on the College Relay Team, captained the class track team, and played football and soccer. In his junior and senior years he was a letterman in football, soccer, and track, captained the track and soccer teams, and was a member of the class gym team. In addition to his sports and other extracurricu- lar activities, Mr. Thomas held the offices of class treasurer, secretary, and president during his years at Haverford. After his graduation from Haverford in 1913, Mr. Thomas returned to his own preparatory school, Westtown School, Westtown, Pennsylvania. There he served as science teacher and physical director for four years. In the spring of 1917 he had planned to come to Moses Brown School, but America's entrance into World War I delayed his coming. As a volunteer relief worker for the American Friends Service Committee, he completed two years' serv- ice in France. Then from 1919-1922 he was a member of the Moses Brown faculty as teacher of chemistry and physics, physical director, and track coach. After teaching three years at Moses Brown, he was appointed principal of Friends' Central School in Philadelphia, where he remained for two years before succeeding Dr. Gifford as headmaster of Moses Brown School in 1924. He received his master of education degree at Harvard in 1925. During the administration of Mr. Thomas many changes have been made. Probably the most important change occurred in 1925 when the New England Yearly Meeting of Friends acquired Lincoln School, and Moses Brown be- came exclusively a boys' school in 1926. This transforma- tion was not an easy one, but it was accomplished in a manner highly satisfactory to everyone. Concerning the change Frances E. Wheeler, Headmistress Fmerita of Lincoln School, said, The emigration of the girls from Moses Brown School to Lincoln School presented various problems. For their solution we relied constantly on the unfailing courtesy, wise council and continual interest of Ralston Thomas. Mfr. L. Ralrzon Tbomm 7

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mom , Q The 1955 Mosarc l'O0m, - again rlends years wn ro ngary, s high 1 such R. I. Inde- .ch he R. I. School . stare, Head- e out- ie was granted rrmacy a life School s have lacobs, aid, 1 articu- young : satis- highlY l as in 5 adds V zon of u1'lClCI FACULTY GEORGE C. ST. JOHN, JR. H efzdmafter- el ect Harvard University A.B. Corpus Christi College, Cambridge University g ' 4 1 LC 0 5 Honoa 0 -5 CJQ' - 00 +5 ' ---:--.. . f ,-., fff' '-f A vi ' D h rf - 11-21 -. lv, .5 0 --WN X, 12.-'gk 7' Y -QQ'