Salem State University - Clipper Yearbook

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Sumner Webster Cushing. When influences try to come into your life that tend to prevent the development of a sound body, a clear mind, and a noble character, you will say with the immortal brave, They shall not pass .

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The Year Book 1920 Published by the Senior Class Salem State Normal School

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Sumner Webster Cushing Mr. Cushing was born in Norwell, Massachusetts, December 30. 1879, the son of Webster A. and Amanda Cushing. He was graduated from the Brockton High School and the State Normal School at Bridgewater. In 190:3, after a two years ' course at Harvard University, he received the degree of B. S. He then taught, in successive years, the subjects of science, mathematics, and physical geography in the high schools of Wakefield. Waterbnry. Connecticut, and Providence. While in Providence he studied for his master ' s degree at Brown University, which he later received. In 1907 he became the head of the geography department at the State Normal School, Salem. In addition to his classes in geography in the normal school, he super- vised the work in the training school, made out a course of study for the guidance of the student teachers and the supervisors of the grades, and kept in close touch with the work of the children. His field trips and excursions to industrial plants added greatly to the interest in the subject both to the children and to the students in the normal school. His students will never forget the delightful trips to Devereux Beach, nor the more strenuous excursions in tracing the course of Forest River, He was un- tiring in his plans to present subjects of general interest to the entire school by lec- tures, lantern slides, and motion pictures. In every possible way he strove to make the subject of geography alive and to show its importance in understanding the trend of civilization in a country, and he succeeded in an unusual degree, for his students speak of him as a wonderful teacher. In addition to his work in his own department, he was actively associated with many phases of the school life, especially with the men ' s athletics and with their fraternity — the Kappa Delta Phi — of which he organized the Salem chapter. While he was carrying on so successfully his teaching at the normal school, he did a great deal in scientific study and in teaching elsewhere. In 1907 he attended the summer session at Harvard. The next summer he spent in research work in the Central Plateau of France under the direction of his former professors, W. M. Davis and D. W. Johnson. He devoted the following summer to a study of the coastal feat- ures of Maine, covering about fifteen hundred miles. His statement of the results of his work before the Geological Conference at Harvard led to his securing a Sheldon traveling fellowship from the Harvard Graduate School, so that in 1910-1911, on leave of absence from Salem, he was able to do research work in India. He spent some months in investigation of a special problem in the region of Madras. His report was recog- nized as superior to any previous description of the region, and it was published in several technical bulletins and journals. It gave him an assured position as a profes- sional geographer. In the autumn of 1912, Mr. Cushing was an invited member of the transcontinen- tal excursion of European and American geographers, given by the American Geograph- ical Society of New York. For several successive summers he gave courses in geog- raphy at Columbia University, the University of Illinois, and Miami University at Ox- ford, Ohio; he conducted winter courses at Wellesley College in 1911 and 1912. In 1913 he married Miss Frances B. Deane, who had been closely associated with the normal school, first as secretary and then as teacher of history. The marriage brought to him the devotion and aid of a woman of superior ability. With her help, he not only carried on his work with even greater efficiency, but he Avas able to estab- lish a home whose generous hospitality and inspiration were the joy of many friends. Mr. Cushing served in the Avar as captain in the Military Intelligence Division of the General Staff in Washington from July. 1918 to July, 1919. He assisted in the preparation of military handbooks and monographs giving geographical information for the use of the American Expeditionary Forces in France, and he served on various government committees. These documents were designed to give to the commanding officers all available data concerning their field of operations so that they could lay sound strategical plans and order successful tactical movements, and to assist the offi- 5