Temple University - Templar Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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a r e LT 97 who needed the same thing and if ten were found the course would be started. In this way the evening Law School was founded, and the first courses in Home Economics. The city Normal School was only training elementary teachers, soon the public schools needed Kindergartners, and teachers of Physical Training. Temple College organized classes to prepare these teachers. Then the men in the school system felt they must have their College Degrees and that they must get them outside of school hours, they appealed to Temple University when they had been refused elsewhere. Dr. Conwell retained his personal interest in every-appeal that cameg he met these men and thefirst class for teachers working for a degree was formed. Three hundred of these teachers have earned their degrees in this way. So department by department the College grew, its work became more highly organized and its name was changed to Temple University, a University that began with seven students and one class but which numbers today 10,000 students and all the departments of a great University. All through the strenuous years with all these enterprises in hand the necessity continued for Dr. Conwell to go up and down the length and breadth of our land lecturing to audiences great and small, traveling night and day that money might be forthcoming when needed to keep things going. Because of his own early struggles he was perhaps peculiarly interested in young men who wanted to make goodg he helped these young men not only in Philadelphia but all over the country. But apart from the service the money earned rendered, the lecture itself, be it Lessons of Travel, Daniel Manin, K'Garibaldi. The Silver Crown, The Angel's Lily, or Acres of Diamonds, had the fundamental theme ever the same-if a man will make the most of himself, will give his best service to others, he will serve God best and be happiest himself. One of his lectures closes with this quotation He most lives Who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best. As a lecturer he taught more people the great fundamental truths of life than any other man of his century. He wrote many books on many subjects. But the supreme achievement was the founding and development of Temple University. His last message was to it asking assurance that his great program for it should be car- ried out. On December 6, 1925, 'his body was taken from us, but his spirit still leads us and his beloved University will go on as a living memorial to him. . ,E is-M r j Y if Y 44 .mfifqgm-fgpiigfi ' QM ' e Ag ee -fe 1 e- e- f'f cL N Q Q Ten

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Q i theology in the Newton Theological Seminary, still a lawyer but now also a lecturer and a teacher. On Sundays he preached in old historic Lexington in a little wooden church. But the church grew so fast under his preaching that the little church was pulled down and a larger and finer one built. By this time his fame as a preacher was spreading and a man down in Philadelphia heard of him. He asked him to preach a trial sermon in his church, which needed a preacher, and on Thanksgiving day, 1882, he began his work in Philadelphia. He started almost immediately a Young Men's Congress modeled on our Na- tional Congress. VVhenever in the city he presided at its meetings. Here hundreds of young men in the city received training in public speech and parliamentary pro- cedure. Some members of this Congress today hold positions of national importance. - But in that church there were some young people who soon realized that they could not achieve the possibilities of the vision held out to them unless they had more education, they appealed to Dr. Conwellg in response he formed a class in 1884 to help a group of young men get ready for college. He taught the class himself. Very soon others had to be called in to help him. By 1888 he realized that the need was so great in Philadelphia and the classes he had started had already become so numerous it was wise to obtain a charter that these students might have oflicial recognition for the work they were doing. Young people of all denominations had applied for admission to the classes that had been formed, and Doctor Conwell wisely decided that this new college must be entirely non- sectarian, open to all the people of the city who needed it, regardless of sex, race or religion. Its charter read primarily for working men. When the old church was sold, Temple College, as it then was, went into a couple of rented houses. It was an independent institution but still had to turn to Dr. Conwell and the friends he could rally around him for its support. It opened a day department to give stability to its night work. The two houses were crowded day and night. These houses were inadequate to hold all those who came for help. There was a lot, just south of the large new Temple which he was building, for sale. Even Dr. Conwell hesitated to ask his people to subscribe any money for so seemingly wild a projectg so he quietly bought the land himself on mortgage and held it until the Trustees of the young college could raise funds to pay him. But they raised the money and three years after the opening of the Temple went into a building of their own. There were several gifts of one thousand dollars each from the moneyed men of that day, one for five thousand, the rest being small in amounts. With the opening of the new building the educational needs of the city became more and more apparent. When a young person came with the request for a course and the course was not being given elsewhere in the city he was told to find others lllQQg,,i,2 r - ' is ---- .1 -1-,gg' - al' -L W-fx .ru ' Lil- 'ffts 'H . P' -f'EW,src,. 424 ' 1 Nine

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Q Tributes Paid to the Memory ofltussell H. Conwell Hon. Gifford H. Pinchot, Governor of the State of Pennsylvania: He was one of the leading citizens of the whole Commonwealth. His memory will be profoundly revered. y Hon.'W. Freeland Kendrick, Mayor of the City of Philadelphia: As an educator Russell H. Conwell was known everywhere. As a minister and as the author of 'Acres of Diamonds' his influence was felt in all parts of the country. Dr. Josiah H. Penniman, president of the University of Pennsylvania: Doctor Conwell's death is a great loss to our religious and educational life. He was a great figure. Temple University is a monument to his interest in young people and represents a rare personal achievement. Edward W. Bok, donor of the Philadelphia Award: I have never met a man who was so thoroughly selHess as Russell Conwell. He never had himself in mind. His thought and works were always for the institutions which he created or for the people of his parish. That made him a very diHicult man to refuse. He never asked anything of me but that I felt I should give to him as he gave to others. We speak of men being good. Doctor Conwell was really a good mang truly and thoroughly good. It is a pleasure to think that he received the Philadelphia Award, which he so fully deserved. It can be truly said of him that he advanced the truest and best interests of Philadelphia. Leopold Stokowski, conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra: I met Doctor Conwell only once or twice, but I was tremendously attracted by him because he was so human and had such a remarkable sense of humor. Bishop Joseph F. Berry, of the Methodist Episcopal Church: The entire life of Doctor Conwell was devoted to human welfare. His personal sacrifices for young -men and women who longed for education but had no money with which to procure it, and his devotion to the poor and suffering, were monumental. Dr. Laura H. Carnell, associate president of Temple University: Every human need appealed to Doctor Conwell, where there was one he believed it could be met. He never saw obstacles but believed that patience and perseverance could overcome them. He was so sure those around him could do the task he set for them that they did it. ,AX A -,A V -- 113 m3-f.i-2'.2: '3..?a'4g?' 7- -1 .-,- , -T if -si Life? I ' f jf A .ii H- -,ar A me ' --- W- r-- EEr: g C ,Ui Eleven