University of North Dakota - Dacotah Yearbook (Grand Forks, ND)

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In Memoriam Editorls noteeThis article was written several weeks before the death of Pro- fessor LeDaum. We are glad to print it, therefore, not as a tribute written to the de- parted, but as a true appreciation of the man as we knew him. 0 try to describe him seems almost an injustice to the man. For who can link together with his mere physical appearance, the thousand little characteristics which present him to us; and paint with words the picture of the man as we know him. The photographer can imprint upon paper his physical likeness. We look at it and note the high forehead with the straight black hair falling over it, the startling dark brows and the mild blue eyes. We see the close-cut mustache and recently grown VanDyke beard. We look at the photograph; it reminds us of some historical character. But the photograph alone is not capable of reproducing and presenting the living characteristics and ensemble which his students delight to recall. His student friends would have him presented as they have known him day by day so that they shall not for a moment look upon his picture and then forget. When I think of him, two pictures of him come before me. Others, too, no doubt will recall him in the same way. One picture takes him onto the street. We see little of the man there, for he is Well bundled up in a heavy cap pulled clown over his ears, a great coat with high collar, and high overshoes. But out from under the cap appears the same classic face. In al- most startling contrast to his fierce, dark mustache and VanDyke are his eyes now mild and twinkling. He looks upon the world kindly and cmiles. One looks at him and says, ilHe would be kind to children, there is a man to trust.n As he draws nearer, perhaps we can faintly hear him humming, or talking to himself. He sees us then, and with an odd little bow and a characteristic gesture, he says pleasantly, Bon jour Mademoiselle, bon jourlli ; The other picture recalls him in the class room. With careless grace, he is loung- ing back in his chair. Perhaps his head is resting on the back of the chair and his feet rest on the table. He is sitting that way, or any way he sees fit. What does it matter how he is sitting or if his necktie isn't straight? His eyes, one minute dreaming, another minute sparkling with amusement, reflect his complex nature. At times he seems to live in a world apart, in the great romantic past, and he sits there dreaming and philosophiz- ing upon its life as compared with life today. The things he says, which are often en- tirely apart from the lesson, are quite wonderful in themselves. He presents them in a picturesque way of his own, until they appear to us in a new and more striking light. Is he a mere dreamer? No, not by any means. I should'say he were extremely scien- tific ancl progressiVe, possessing also a certain dreaininess, if such a thing is possible. But there we see him. At a glance we would say he gives the appearance of studied carelessness, of easy tolerance. But as he talks, using frequent graceful gestures, now and then tossing his hair back from his forehead by a shake of the head, frequently changing his position into almost weird attitudes; as we see his eyes live, bum, grow dark, and laugh; we forget his appearance and behold the depths of his nature. We say to ourselves, iiThere is a scholar, a dreamer, a thinkerea man a century ahead of his time. ff? 03 43:0

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