Oberlin College - Hi-O-Hi Yearbook (Oberlin, OH)

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'GRAND RAPIDS, MICH., December 31, 1902. The fire burns low in the grate, and the clock is slowly ticking away the last Inoments of the dying year. A letter from the Editors of the Hi-O-Hi is in my hand and has peopled my lonely room these three hours past wlith forms that walked the streets of Oberlin a decade and a half ago. As I look back on those bright days, and on my life since then, I am sure that the thing that helped me most was learning to know the teachers of those days. For example, the Hon. James Monroe, with his old-fashioned courtesy, his persistent, courageous optimism, and his most noble Christian faith. I was nearing the close of my Junior year. Somehow it came to his ears that I was trying to pay my own bills as I went on and was not exactly having an easy tin1e. One day I received a kindly invitation to call at Prof. Monroe's house. I appeared at the time mentioned, in great embarrassment, not knowing at all what to expect. I found the professor apparently quite as much embarrassed as myself. He made some inquiries about my plans and resources, and then asked in a very gentle and courteous way whether the loan of twenty-five to fifty dollars would not be a help to me. He stated with an air of great secrecy, that a certain friend had left in his care a sum of money on purpose to be used according to his judgment in helping self-supporting young men to finish their courses at Oberlin. As the years have gone by I have heard of scores of others to whom similar offers were secretly made by the same dear old man, and I have come to understand the identity of the friend who supplied Prof. Monroe with money. PAUL I'IARl.AN lNlI2'I'cAI.If, O. C. '89. N2 BRIDGEPORT, CONN., March 27lLl'l, 1903. To Ilia Annual Board-Enclosed find the snap shot I promised you. I think it very good 'of both of us, and the person I borrowed this from made me promise that I wouldget the person who took it, to get the person who developed it, to get the person who has the film, to get another printed for her. So you see it has value some- where. But you are welcome to this print to do with as you please. Sorry I have not the time to write you a story, but the truth about that is this: I like to write, but it takes time, and cngenders a habit of dreaming, and awakens in me desires to rise to higher flights of imagination than advertisement writing allows me four ads. are strictly trueb, so it is detrimental to Iny business interests and must be kept in a prop- erly subordinate place. And since writing is with me such a passion that it will not take second place, it must be subjugated entirely-I mean the desire must be subju- gates. If no annual has ever been dedicated to Mrs. Johnston within the memory of man, my own judgment would be that she is deserving of the honor. I do not remember whether any Annual has ever been dedicated to her, but I take it from the tone of your letter that none has. I am trying not to let my personal affection speak at this time, but merely to consider what the college and the student body owes to Mrs. Johnston. She is certainly deserving of the honor if anyone ever connected with Oberlin is. 21 C'

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SAN FRANCISCO, January 12th, 1903. THE PLYMOUTH. It gives me great pleasure to send greetings through the Annual to my classmates and college friends from the land of sunshine and flowers3 for, with the exception of the summer of ,QQ spent in doing a little of Europe, I have made my home for the past four years on the Pacific coast. The past three years I have lived in San Francisco, and have found it a most delightful city. Much has been said of San Francisco's elimate,- but it has an atmosphere as well, a musical atmosphere- for this is a great music-loving and music-patronizing place. At present I am business secretary of the S. F. Musical Club, a flourishing organization of women musicians. We give bi-monthly recitals, which remind me very much of the dear old Wednesday evening affairs of the conservatory-which I always thoroughly enjoyed Cwhen I wasn't on the programj. With best wishes to all old friends of the class of '91, I am sincerely yours, LlABLE Conn Ai.axANnER. N2 The Ten o'Clock Bell. Perhaps you may like a little tale of school days: Mr. X--, of the class of 8- had been invited to his first class party. He had all the earmarks of a Freshman, and yet under the glow of the evening entertainment his courage rose to such a point that he dared to ask the privilege of escorting a charming young First Year to her home. When they came to depart, he discovered to his confusion that she had come with another young lady, and that he was expected to look out for both of them. Everything went nicely as they passed through the campus towards Lorain Street. Young lady No. I lived on East Lorain, while young lady No. 2 lived on North Pro- fcssor, several blocks away. As the trio came in front of Council Hall, the ten o'clock bell sounded out its ominous notes of warning. It is said that he who hesitates is lost. While thc Freshman, with a divided mind, was meditating which young lady should be escorted home first, suddenly No. 1 loosed her dainty hold of his right arm, and was seen scudding in the direction of East Lorain Street. A moment later the gentle pressure on his left arm was relaxed, and young lady No. 2 departed rapidly in the flll'CClZlOl1 of North Professor Street, while the Freshy stood bewildered, wondering what will be the result of two forces pulling in opposite directions. In a moment he realized that the ten o'clock rule also applied to himself, and he sprinted towards College Street, barely reaching his six by nine third-floor chamber by 10:05 p. m. Since that time he has often visited the spot where they made the great refusal, a sadder and a wiser man. lt would not be fair for me to reval the name of the hero of this incident. Sin- cerely, L. Doccsrr, '93, Springfield, Mass. -20

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l P. S.- This is the first class baby of '98, and belongs to my brother. It is a good baby and is learning the Hi-Ki. I an1 glad you have decided to dedicate to her whom I have always affectionately called The Madame. I think there is nothing connected with Oberlin that gives her friends more pleasure than the thought that now she is taking her true place in the hearts of the students. For years her position as Dean made her to most students only the strict disciplinarian, and they could not or would ll0t see the magnificent character which she stoically hid under the stern exterior that she thought her duty compelled. That she should have during her last years of service to the college the appreciation and love of the students is more reward than she ever asked for herself or would for a moment stoop to obtain. lk lk 'lf lk 41 Your request for a snap shot of myself and my wife will have to be refused for the reason that I unfortunately have. no wife and will not have up to the moment of your going to press. But my previous activity on college publications makes my heart soft towards those who want things from the alumni, so I will say that I have sent for a snap shot of myself that will please you, I think. It will be sent you in a few days. You may get some sort of a story with it. or you may not, according to how nmch I have to do the night that it comes. Since I have been writing advertise- ments to fill space at live dollars a line, I have learned the value of condensation, so whatever you get will be short. Very sincerely yours, Lucian 'l'. NVARNIQR, 'o8. 22