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

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WILLIAM BROWN BEDORTHA

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Hlbtrl Illlen wright. l8E6'l905. HE qualities which especially distinguished Professor Wriglit were his fair-mindedness, his modesty, and his devotion to duty. He dif- fered from most scientists in that he added to his scientific training, not only a liberal, for the most part unscientific, college training, but also a full theological courseg as he differed from most theologians in adding to his theological training a thorough discipline in scientific research and a complete absorption of the scientific temper. This broad and varied culture co-operated with what was, doubtless, a strong natural bent toward cautious and thorough investigation, toward reserve and deliberation of judgment, and toward a horror of snap,' judg- ments and partisan misrepresentation and bigotry, to make him the sane, moderate, wise counsellor we have known. His modesty led him to shrink from all public appearances which were not absolutely required by his sense of dutyg to refrain altogether from any thing like boasting or self-assertiong to let his writing and his teaching stand upon their own merits, with no support from large claims to authority or to special attainments. This quality, it seems clear, limited his influence somewhat in the number of students who really came to know and appre- ciate the mang but it certainly made his power all the greater over his asso- ciates in the Faculty, and over those students Cand their number was by no means smalli, who studied with this thoughtful, earnest, devoted, broad- minded teacher, till they caught ,something of his ardent love for truth and his patient search for it. Yet this modesty was connected with a dogged persistency, when he had made up his mind that a certain thing ought to be done or secured, that rarely failed to accomplish its purpose. Perhaps even more impressive was Professor VVright's devotion to duty. He never spared himself in his teaching. His labors for the College cost him many hours of work in evenings and vacations. Yet he never re- fused calls for a wider service. He was perhaps the most laborious com- mitteeman in the Faculty. He has probably given more time and thought to the needs of the village than any other member of the Faculty. Until his health seriously failed, he was a faithful and regular teacher in the Sun- day school. His life was a great inspiration to fidelity to a host of grateful pupils and to all who labored with him in the Faculty and the church, 15

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BYOWII Btdortba. l854'l904. ARLY in the school year there died, quietly, as he had lived his life, the Attorney of the College. To many students, the public honor accorded his death by the College was the first intimation of his connection with the institution. The very success with which he filled his office, his skilful avoidance of litigation and the noise of law courts, kept him in personal obscurity, and like the greater forces of nature, he did his work unseen and unheard. .lt was among the officers of the College and the people of the town that his force and character had been most felt, and there, too, his loss fell most heavily. I-Ie was a modest man, but he knew very surely what he knew and his quiet self-confidence was convincing. No trouble was too trivial for his attention, no burden was too heavy to be laid confidently in his hands and left there. 1 VVorried men and women went to him for comfort as naturally as the sick to the family doctor-or as frightened peasants to the village cure. To his children he left a legacy of affectionate service from those of us who cannot pay otherwise our indebtedness, and a fine sweet standard to live by, and a much loved name. 17