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

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DEDICATION. This book is but the creature of an hour- A craft rigged rudely, leaving in its wake No swelling tide of thought, that shall send out Its ever-widening eddies to the shore. It is not ours to do that perfect thing Which shall outlive the stern arbitrament Of Time. Yet to thee may these pages prove No ineffectual token of our love. Bearing some deep significance along. To a rare graciousness which is the soul ' Of courtesy and to the strength of an t Unruflled calm, deep-laid in godly trust, , And- hand in hand with dignity that comes With many years, informing it. the sweet And healthful spirit of unchanging youth- To these high attributes which do unite In thee, this book goes out in reverence.

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Adeliat Antoinette' Field Johnston DELIASANLl'OINETil'I? FIELD was lliorn in Laftayette, Oliio, February fifth, 1 37. me egan ear y fer ciosen wor ' since at ourteen ste was en a ed to teach in a summer school near her honie. Her course at Oberlin, thgigstitu- tion with which her well-known name is closely associated, commenced in 1851, before she was quite fifteen. She was graduated from what was then known as the literary course in 1856, entering upon her duties as teacher the next year, when she became principal of the Academy in Mossy Creek, Tennessee. For several years she taught, first in Orwell, then in Albany, Ohio, later in Kinsman. August seventeen, 1859, she married James M. Johnston, a teacher in Oberlin, who January sixteen, 1862, gave his life for his country. A year at Andover, Massachusetts, where she studied Latin under Dr. Samuel Taylor, preceded her acceptance of the preceptressship in North Sciuate Academy, Rhode Island. The following winter she spent abroad, as a student in Leipzig University. After her return she renewed her connection with her Alma Mater, becoming, as it was then expressed, Principal of the Ladies' Depart- ment of Oberlin College, or as it later read, Dean of the NVoman's Department. Hills- dale College conferred upon her the degree of Master of Arts in 1873g Oberlin, the honorary degree, A. M., in 1878. Almost fifteen years ago she began her courses in history, always popular with the students because, as she often says, she keeps her work up with the times, acilding conltinually to her old lectures new funds of informa- tion ained in reading an in trave. lifhen she felt obliged to give up l1er administrative work in the college, tl1e trustees, March nintllj IQi0, expressed in the following words their regret at her resignation rom tie eansnp: Her long and faithful devotion to the service of the college and to its interests, her great ability in administration, her wisdom and tact in every conjuncture, her high ideals for the young women under her charge and her success in stimulating the desire of attaining elevation of character have combined to make her deanship of inestimable value to the institution and to its undergraduates. This same recognition of her services to the institution led the Alumni to choose Mrs. Johnston as their trustee. The holding of such a position by a salaried ofticer being found illegal, she was made a member of'the Prudential Committee, an im- portant place, in which her ability has an opportunity to display itself. The popularity of Mrs. Johnston as a teacher has been mentioned. ln this capacity le shows rem'1rk'1ble originality, a most unusual personal interest in the individual S 1 1 4 students for this day of large classes, and, what she herself would mention first, an enthusiastic pleasure in her work. The same charm that holds her students spellbound7Mrs. Johnston has a keen ' h s mide her '1 famous 'tfter dmner story teller and parlor sense of the dramatic- a. 1 . . . . - - . . lecturer. Around the world in a thousand places, she has her friends, her admirers. To this personal fascination is partly due her success in raising funds for Oberlin. She gives to the work a rare tact, an undiscouraged perseverance, gtsigle flrong the t an- eontributions of money she has prompted, we owe her a debt of gratitu e or te e tiful collection of photographs, for which some day she hopes to have an Art Building. ln these aspects of administrator, financier. lecturer, and taetful adviser, the under- duates know her but slightly. To us she is rather the fascinating teacher and the gra . - - . , charming hostess. Her at homes' are afternoons no NVednesday-caller may forget. In those artistic rooms, with their beautiful pictures, books, china, rugs, gathered from odd corner and famous city of the world, the gracious, sweet-faced woman dis- every ' ' . . . . . penscs the famous cups of tea in a fashion mnmtably graceful. V 7