University of Rochester College for Women - Croceus Yearbook (Rochester, NY)

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CROCEU5 3l Professor Mixer As I Knew Him-H. R. C. 1905 It is to be regretted that you girls of 1910 have not the privilege of knowing Professor lVlixer. He was a man whom you could not know without loving, a truly gentle man, and more. I-lis scholarship and char- acter were the product of years of effort and discipline, his manner the expression of an uncommonly sweet nature. If you had been in his classes, you would probably have been impressed, as we were, with the breadth of his knowledge and the fine- ness of his taste. But l venture to say that you would have carried away a far stronger impression of the conscientious thoroughness and kind help- fulness of the teacher. I remember he once told a class that was strug- gling with beginning French, that they H would surely find it better after they got the ice broken, and were successfully in, - a metaphor which is not a fair sample of his discourses, for he seldom missed the point of difhculty. Qccasionally he would set aside lessons and give one of his ' talksf which were full of things that no young person could think out for himself, and which were unconsciously stored away by many students, to be brought out years after, at times of decision or of testing. I have heard many a man of classes graduated fifteen to thirty years ago, quote Dr. Mixer on important questions. And no less did he remember his students, for he could recall nearly every one who had passed through his classes during his long service. and in the cases of many, not only recall, but tell with interest and pride, their history after leaving college. It would delight the heart of many middle aged and old men, to hear themselves spoken of as H the boys, in the tone of part ownership and entire love, which I have often heard. It would scarcely have seemed strange if a conservative elderly man, as he was when women were admitted to our college, attached as he was to the institution and all connected with it, had regarded the new class of students as intruders. Far from that, he welcomed our coming, as repre- senting to this community a great step forward in principles of education. With delightful frankness, he once told me, at a reception given by the women students, that nothing gave him more happiness than to see the girls receiving mental and social training, for, he said, there could be no great progress from one generation to the next, until the potential mothers, as well as fathers, were liberally educated. To express his interest in our presence in the college, as well as to give us inspiration to earnest work, Dr. Mixer gave to us the portrait of Nlary Lyon, which hangs in our rooms. Even after his resignation from active service, Dr. Mixer was often seen taking a walk around the campus block, which, I believe, had been his daily constitutional for years. Nothing is more expressive of his love for U. of R. His thoughts and affections encircled it and dwelt in it. So strong was his desire to die within reach of the university, that, after

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32 CROCEUS the death of his daughter and consequent breaking up of his home, rather than leave Rochester to live with his remaining daughter, he remained here, practically alone. Speaking of his home, I wonder whether I can give you any idea of the atmosphere of it. It was there that one found, even more than in the classroom, evidence of the breadth of his culture and experience, for there were the pictures, letters, and other mementos of his travels, study, 'acquaintances and friendships. There also it was impossible not to see the great love of the good man for everything good. If only you could meet him, what a happy impression you would have! l-le would extend his hand to you, with slow spoken, kindly words of courtesy, which would make you feel as though you were talking for the first time with a life-longefriend of your father, whose great desire was to make you also his friend, and to render you some service. I believe that this appreciative friendship of his students was even more necessary to him than to us, for while we came and went, each with our own aim, his sole purpose was to minister to all mankind through us, and therefore we constituted his field of influence, his great life work. So every word that came to us from him, came with a sincerity and force which made us love the man, then and always.