Penn State University - La Vie Yearbook (University Park, PA)

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Os D LA VIE 11 George W. Atherton, LL.D. President of the Pennsylvania State College June, 1882-July, 1906 .3 .33 A U Heaven doth with us as We With torches do, Not light them for themselves: For if our virtues Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike As if We had them not. Spirits are not finely touched But to line issuesf' 1- RESIDENT ATHERTON was one of the rare characters which measure up to the standard of Sir Philip Sydney's idea of a gentleman- High erectedithoughts seated in a heart of cour- l tesy. Courtesy, helpfulness, consideration for others was in- born in his nature because high thinking was inborn in it. Over fifty of the sixty-nine years of his life are an unbroken record of absolute devotion to high ideals. As student, soldier, teacher, lawyer, politician, college presi- dent--nowhere is the standard lowered, in every position the man rings true. Born into the world physically strong, he had, as a boy, exuberant spirits and abounding joy in mere living, which made the ordinary duties and tasks of a country boy's life no hardship to him. He once wrote of these days: My early habit of regular industry became so much a part of my being, that I cannot recall the time when I ever looked upon work as anything but a natural and blessed privilege. An obstacle, a difficulty or hindrance of any kind, was simply an occasion for the application of a little more energy and persistence and courage and helpfulness. The idea of being thwarted by it was one of the unthinkable things that never presented itself to my mind. I have found, too, that my familiar knowledge of common things and common Ways of think- ing, acquired in the country, has been of inestimable advantage to me in dealing with the ordinary matters of daily life. g The ordinary matters of daily life were seldom shirked or overlooked by him, and his happy method of dealing with them was no small source of strength and usefulness. A In a character so finely balanced as President Atherton's no single trait overshadows others. A deep-seated love of truth made him scrupulously careful to get at the factsof any matter brought to his attention, and equally careful in the simplest statement of opinion on any subject. This habit of mind, this weighing of thoughts and expression, helped him to ac- quire that remarkable vocabulary for which he was noted. He seldom