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

Page 28 text:

JD CL lg PENNSYLVANIA STATE COLLEGE v- MS- . '-'ek T1 I V 'fr' t U .it -X NX -N . , af A 1' :Z'..f SCHXVAB AUDITORIUM HTHE JEWEL OF HIS EVEN 4- INIARKS THE GRAVE OF DR. ATHERTON manner, relving on the merits of the cause, the Doctor was always receptive and considerate, and the merits of the cause governed the Presidentls decisionf, I was ever impressed with President Atherton's interest in every State man-First, as to that nianls own welfare, and second, that the manls life should be an honor to l11S.A1IH3 Mater. Further, every State man whom I have heard express himself, who came in direct Contact with Dr. Atherton, endorses what I have here statedf, it it N 9? it J Une man, when beyond the average age of Students, came upon a Penn- State catalogue and greatly wanted to take a college course. He says: I finally arranged to borrow what money I needed in small sums, just as I needed it, from a friend. This arrangement continued for Freshman year and for a few months in Soph- omore. One day I received a letter in which my friend stated the regret that, on account of some trouble, I could obtain no further remittances from him. You may judge of the way I felt. For some days I went about simply dazed. I was progressing so Well in my Work that I could not think of quitting, yet that seemed the only alternative. I wrote several friends and relatives, but to no purpose. One relative who had abundant means turned me dOW11 flatly. I saw no prospect ahead except to give up, as I had absolutely no money and 110 K'llllllCC to get any. Finally, in desperation, I went to Dr. Atherton and told him everything. II.e talked with me long and earnestly, and before I left the office he told me to get the idea ol quitting out of my mind entirely. He said, in substance, that he would either put me in the way ot earning the money I needed or furnish it himself, if he had to borrow it. You can IYHWMIHC IIOW I felt. My hopes, all my prospects for the future, which had Seemed just slip- lml! llcfmlfl my reach, despite everything I could do, were suddenly put into my hands agam 1 ------ -sw NA. -1.1,-,ru-.-,vq-9...-u....,,....-,.,, - , V A .

Page 27 text:

CE D LA VIE 15 never used his high position to force information. I never knew a time when he was not willing to meet students more than half way on any reasonable propositionf' I have talked with a great many State boys since graduation, and the almost universal verdict is that he grows bigger as we see more and more of other men. He wears well and stands up good and strong when subjected to comparative tests. I think it was during my junior year that a few of us conceived the idea of re-establisl1- ing fraternities at the college. A committee of four went to the President's office and pre- sented our case. As was his custom, he listened to everything we had to say, and, while non- committal in his remarks, ended by saying: 'Young men, I have found that the best time to set a hen is when the hen wants to set.' One of us suggested that the fraternity hen was call- ing for eggs, and tl1e interview closed.. At the january meeting of the Board of Trustees, the restrictions were removed and fraternities were re-established. U I enjoyed him most in the lecture room, for, to my mind, he was a natural born teacl1er, and, since he was full of his subject, we were always impressed with his breadth of view. I look upon it as a great privilege to have been under his instruction, and even now recall some of his magnificent talks on International Law. State has always had her share of good in- structors, but Dr. Atherton is in a class by himself, was the big man of the college, and the unbiased historian must so place him. He was especially strong witl1 illustrations, and had more ways, direct and indirect, of explaining things and making them clear than any man I have ever met. He told few stories, but he never told one with a double meaning, and the story was always told to illustrate a point. He never told one simply for the sake of telling it. He had two striking peculiarities in the lecture room. He very seldom, if at all, repeated what he had said, and only occasionally looked at the class. Apparently his mind worked better when his eyes were focused on the floor or on a book, and while he generally held a book in his hand it was seldom open. When he spoke to a particular student he looked at him, and that look meant many different things to those who knew himf' He did things that did not meet with our approval, but, as I look back upon him from the vantage point of years, when I subject them to the tests of a maturer judgment and from an unprejudiced point of view, I find that he was most always right, and that we were most always wrong. There is no man that I have subjected to more exacting tests, no man that I have ex- amined more rigidly for purposes of comparison, no man that I have more frequently set aside for some new standard of measure, some new god, no man that I have tried harder to find fault with and criticize, and yet, taken all in all, I am compelled to say that Dr. Atherton is by ,far the strongest man I have ever met. I have met those who could excel him in certain particulars, those who could shine where he could show but little light, those who could draw while he would repel, but, taken all in all, he belonged to that family of college giants of whom there are few. ' With all due modesty I will say that I have met with some measure of successuas a teacher and a disciplinarian, and one of the contributing causes-the chief- one-is tl1at I have ever before me the question: How would Dr. Atherton handle this proposition or this case ? H In the past fifteen years I have been intimately associated with five college presidents and I have successively compared each one with Dr. Atherton and-no discredit to them- each one has grown smaller by the comparison, not because of their lack of ability, but be- cause Dr. Atherton is my standard, and I am forced reluctantly to admit that my standard is too high and that I am expecting too much. His indiscretions, if there were any, I have for- gotten, his errors, if there were any, I have forgiven, and since he has been the greatest in- spiration of my college life, I shall always cherish his memory and remember him for the great work he has accomplished. It is not necessary to erect a marble shaft over his grave-' State' is his monument. , , During my college days and since, on all occasions when I needed counsel, I always found in President Atherton a helpful, sympathetic friend. VVhen a student at the college I had frequent cause to come in contact with President Atherton on personal matters and also general student matters, and without exception, if the subject was stated in a straight-forward

Page 29 text:

wg N X CP QD LA VIE 17 with the positive assurance that they were mine for always. After an experience of this kind, how can formal and set words and phrases begin to show what Dr. Atherton was, and what he did, not for me alone, but for many, many ambitious and deserving young men? That is the kind of man who 15 most truly great and most truly good-the man who makes it possible for his brothers to rise to higher planes of life and greater fields of usefulness. It is a goodness of the nature of a little leaven leaveneth a great lump. I think it no exaggeration to say that there are many men in the country now, of prominence and material prosperity, who, but for Dr. Atherton, would be spending their lives in obscurity, if not in poverty. Dr. Ath- erton may not always have been understood by some of the students. He was a great man api. they too close to him to see him in proper perspective. It requires distance, and a lapse o ime. H No inquiry is necessary to recall the infiuence of Dr. Atherton's personality upon my life, so frequently have memories of him come to me unsolicited. How he filled such a place in the minds and hearts of the students, while constantly burdened with the great work of building up the material plant and equipment of the college shows how broad and magnetic he was and how radiantly his iniiuence went out. From l1is practical demonstrations of resourcefulness, capacity and the good that was in him we took our highest inspiration. His enthusiasm in whatever he set about to do taught us the force of that trait, for it appeared that such things as he considered worth doing could best be done with spirit and will. His methods displayed forethought as well as acquired skill, and taught us the lesson of careful and conscientious training. He was kind and he was generous. He was not the least unapproachable or affected. Was there a man of his station and responsibility ever less so? I never heard of an instance where he declined to discuss with a student any matter, ever so trivial, brought before him. His reserve was not of the kind to impress one that he feared unexpected situations. H Honesty and self-reliance he continually impressed upon us from every point of view. I may be pardoned if I assume that there are but few college students who have not, at one time or another, participated in some affair which had an unpleasant termination. Incidents of this kind that came before the faculty, Dr. Atherton always turned to account for instruc- tion, rather than as particular occasions for reproof or show of authority. He would dwell upon the idea that although one might conceal his actions with those of tl1e crowd, still the influence of such an attitude was weakening to character. The manly fellow was he who stood on his own responsibility, even in error, and his way of presenting such thoughts really made one feel himself the coward unless he did come out and do his duty under the circumstances. U I cannot forget his patriotic sentiments, continually expressed by formal address or by casual inference, on one's duty as a citizen. His keynote seemed to be the effect on the com- munity of every one doing his part. I must say, however, aword of one more of his noble traits, and in this I shall, although not by necessity, touch a tender chord, a relation more nearly confidential. His sympathy was broad and genuine and extremely practical, and I doubt if any student could fail to realize this, however slight the personal acquaintance. There were some, however, who were peculiarly situated for such appreciation. In my day at State College a number of students found it necessary to work their way. Dr. Atherton always knew who these students were, and man- aged to keep track of their fortunes in a pleasing way, for whenever opportunities for. self- maintenance failed to go round he made more. It was his l1ab1t to occasionally inquire of each of these fellows how he was getting on. I know of more than one who had hard pulling to continue at his college work, and when Dr. Atherton had ascertained the'facts his sugges- tions were always encouraging and helpful. 'Now, young man, I guessuwe will give you such and such to do.. Anyway, try the plan for awhile,' he would say. 'Grit your teeth and hang on, donlt drop out. If you again get to the point where it seems 'you cannot make it go, let me k11ow about it., That was his style of encouragement-the kind under which one could retain all of his self-respect, and the kind that made him -feel it was worth while to 'make it go.' Wliile but few students were in position to appreciate the goodness of the man in matters like this, still it was a great service, a greatikindness, and it meant everything to these few-it meant the difference between sink or swim.