University of Chicago - Cap and Gown Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

Page 7 text:

1. '45 on I ' N z as U N D E N 1: 'r 1' f' ' r Martin Qntuine Ryerson In dedicating THE 1912 CAP AND GOWN to Nlartin Antoine Ryerson the edi- tors are choosing to honor one oi the best and truest friends our University has had. Mr. Ryerson early became connected with the University of Chicago, he has been for many years a trustee of the University and is at present President of the Board of Trustees. He is also the donor ofthe Ryerson Physical Laboratory, the Ryerson Laboratory Annex and Vincent Field on the corner of 57th Street and Lexington Avenue. - lNIr. Ryerson has been a resident of Chicago nearly all his life. He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on October 26, 1856. He came to reside in Chicago when very young, and in 1878 received the degree of LL. B. from Harvard. In 1881 he married NIiss Carrie B. Hutchinson of Chicago. lNIr. Ryerson's life is a busy one. Besides being director of several banks and large corporations, he is a director of the Art Institute, the Field lXIuseum, and the Carnegie Institution, and trustee of the Chicago Orphan Asylurn. VVhile Mr. Ryerson's personal acquaintance With the students has not been extensive, his constant interest in our affairs is Well understood and We may safely say that next to the founder of our University, he has been the most warmly loved and admired of Chicago's many friends and benefactors. 6

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I 1 4 A 5 - gl' ill gig , 3 H53 Clluntents Special - 8 Faculty - - 21 Alumni - - - 3Q Classes - - - - 43 Academic Honors ' - IOS Organizations - - 113 Oratory - - - 143 Publications - - 151 Dramatics - - 159 Nlusic - - - 175 Society ---- - IS7 Athletics - - - - - 203 Womei1's Athletics - - 273 Dormitory Life - - - 285 Fraternities - - - - 295 VVomen's Clubs - - 379 Societies - - - - 397 Law - - - - 417 Nledics ---- - 433 School ol Education - 441 Divinity ---- - 447 Campus Capers - - 455 l I Qi, - W NHL, J 3 2 USL-T1 U 1 ' . . 'LV ,, V 5

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, ' -rar ' - M---,4 The Merriam Qiampaign Led by Assistant Professor Charles E. lhlerriarn, the University of Chicago faculty members, student body and even janitors last spring made a swift de- scent into the strenuous field of politics that wasunprecedentcd in the history of any American university. Although it failed to receive the crown of victory, the campaign waged by Mr. hlerriam for the mayoralty of Chicago was the most stirring of the last decade and the potency of the scholar in politics was borne in upon the minds of the complacent political bosses of the city with an emphasis that will admit of no forgetting in the immediate future. just as the politicians had smiled with amused tolerance when Nlr. Nlerriam came out as an aldermanic candidate, so did they again smile when they heard he was to be candidate for the mayoralty. But they already knew better than to say he was not practical. Quietly and firmly, nevertheless, he went about the city making friends of strangers and earnest supporters of friends. Then the primaries approached. Lined up against hlr. hfferriam for the Republican nomination were two boss-named candidates, each with an organiza- tion of paid workers. By this time the students and alumni took a hand. The Merriam club was formed on the campus, a club of men who not only believed but were ready to achieve. Against almost hopeless odds they began their work. And they really worked. They distributed circulars, they tacked up signs, they got out voters to register, they checked up polling lists, they traced the profes- sional repeaters, they canvassed precincts, they argued with relatives, friends and strangers, and all the time they talked hfferriam. And on the night of April 4, when the votes were counted they found that hflerriam had rolled up a vote that equalled that of his opponents together and had won the Republican nomination. Then came the real campaign. Against lXflr. hlerriam was Carter H. Harrison a former mayor and the head of a powerful political organization. It looked almost hopeless, even to his most optimistic friends. All the work of the primarycam- paign was repeated-and more. On election day, over a hundred students and more faculty members arose before sunrise and went down into the slums of the first ward, there to battle with the forces of Hinky Dinkf' and his paid army of repeaters. As Challengers, clerks and judges they stood up against the thugs of the tenderloin and challenged the purchased ballots. Nlore than one of them was thrown out of the polling place, and more than one returned to the campus with a bruised face, but the vote cast in the corrupt wards was less than it had ever been before. The weapons of principle and of ideals, however, were powerless before the stronger ones of gold and by a majority of 17,000 votes Harrison was elected. It was a bitter defeat, hut a glcricus cne. Against alrrost insurmountable obstacles 160,000 voters had been made to place their faith in a man with a new political cause. And though unrewarded by the joy of success the University community had the satisfaction of entering the opening wedge in the long fight for a new po- litical regime, and a new and strong body of recruits was added to the small army enrolled in thefight for decency. Perhaps that was better than victory. I