Rutgers University - Scarlet Letter Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

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Editorial. HE SCARLET LETTER now appears for the twenty-eighth time as the annual col- lege publication. During this period there has been a very obvious development and a constantly increasing standard of excellence. The Editors of the present edition representing the Class of 1900, are indebted to the previous compilers of the LETTER for many features of the book which have proved attractive in former years. We believe that our primary purpose should be accurately to chronicle the events of the past collegiate year, ever striving, however, to picture here and there tl1e college life of the period, and preserve its precious ineinories. - Nor is it less important to stamp it with the individuality of our own Class, for whose honor it is published. Oecupying the unique position of the last Class graduating in the Nine- teenth Century, we have turned to look back and recount some of the events of this wonderful period. We feel proud of these hundred years of our beloved Alina Mater, proud of the deeds of her famous sons, and proud that the twentieth century Ends her strong and vigorous and abreast with the times. We can only strive to live up to the traditions of those bygone years, but we are confident that all the love of Rutgers born and nourished in the old century will exist undying in the new.

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John Charles Van Dyke. OHN UIIARLICS VAN DYKE was born at New Brunswick, N. J., April 21, 1856, Son of the late Judge John Van Dyke ol' the New Jersey Supreme Court. His mother was a daughter of Prof. 'l'heodore Strong of Rutgers College, well known as astronomer and mathematician. John Charles Van Dyke was prepared for XVest Point Academy, had the appointment, but finally declined to accept it. He studied for a time at Columbia College and after a course in law was admitted to the New York bar in 1S77. Immediately, however, he abandoned law for literature, feeling already that this was the profession in which his tal- ents gave surest promise of success. After a year of travel, he came to the Sage Library of the Tlieologieal Seminary, of whicli he has been t-he librarian ever since. Here, with constant courtesy and sympathy, he has been ready with suggestion and advice, making the valuable collection of books under his charge as useful as possible to students and professors alike, as well as to the numerous other readers who have come there for study He has shown in his own person how important it is that a librarian should not only know books, but even more, should know how to use them. How valuable this quiet work has been, covering now a score of years, only those fully realize who have passed through the Seminary or have made daily use of the library for study and researeh. On the other hand the quiet of a students' library gave him exactly the opportunity he needed. Heliegan at once, by a vigorous course of reading and study, to prepare himself to speak with authority, when the time should come, on the subjects of his choice. He directed his studies principally to the History of Art, and in order to secure the broadest basis of prac- tical first-hand knowledge, he visited Europe nearly every summer for fifteen years, familiarizing himself with the great works of art in the galleries of France, Holland, Italy, Spain and other artistic eentres. The fruits of his studies were not slow to appear. Beginning to publish in the newspapers about 1880, he has since then been connected with many journals as staff and editorial writer. He was at one time editor of the Szfurlfio and in 1887 of the Arif Review, and is now the art editor of the New York Evening Post. I-lis books are many, chiefly the follow- ing: Books and How to Use 'l'liem, 4' Principles of Art, 'C How to Judge of a Picture, Art for Artis Sake? f' Notes on the Sage Libraryj' it Serious Art in America, Old Dutch and Flemish Masters, Modern French Masters, History of Painting, and Nature for Its Own Sake. He isat present writing in the Ce-iztury Magazine a series of studies on the Old English Mastersj' to which Timothy Cole, the celebrated engraver, is supplying the tai 9