Washington and Jefferson College - Pandora Yearbook (Washington, PA)

Page 29 text:

fn? . ...,,... tt t tt T ' ' 1 2 ' fz Q - wr. in mu T i WEBMUF ' M ' 7 7 i if ff1 1fviTil5lHt g 2. Washington and JeH'erson has no name in the list of its faculty members more venerated than that ot' Professor Linn. To many a graduate a11d many a former stude11t his name is almost a Sy110llyll1 ot' the college title, or stands at least, without detraction from the worth ol' other men, for all that gives the college its fame for scholarship and efficiency in teaching. His versatility and the range ot' his attainmcnts is shoW11 ill the fact that at tlii t'erent times he filled with success nearly every chair in the College, though he was most noted for his teaching of Greek. Dr. Linn was not one who wore his heart upon his sleeve, but be- neath a manner that was often austere his heart was warm. The dullard often fared pretty badly at his hands, and the egotist or the shirker got from l1i1n scant mercy. But it can be said of him as it was of Golds1nith's dominie: Yet, he was kind, or if severe in aught, The love he bore to learning was in fault. The severity ol' his discipline became a tradition ol' the college which was handed down from departing to incoming classes. He was a bold man who dared to enter Professor l.inn's class room with no preparation of the lesson assigned. And there was no lesson, no subject, which Linn could not make attractive. A classmate ot mine once paid him this tribute. Searching his mind for gestion of the very uttermost degree of a teacher's power to interest his Btll1S1l'ltll1, that man could make even what, to him, would convey sug- ol' dryness, and the severest test students, he exclaimed: Why, ll l1lfSSi0IIlll'l1 report' interesting!,' Like many other teachers, Linn had certain mannerisms and cer- tain stock methods ol' maintaining order in the class room: e. g., if a student leaned back in his chair so as to lil't the front legs ot' the chair from the floor, Llllll would exclaim: Gentlemen, all the chairs in this room are quadrupeds! and, ot' cou1'se, the student would settle down to a normal position. Il' any one took out his watch to look at the time, Linn would say: The bell will ring, sir, when this period is over! He would rebuke students who were talking in class by addressing, not the talkers, but the man reciting: Stop, sir! he would ery, You are disturbing the gl4llHl'lI'lI'I1 who are holding a conversation at the other 28'

Page 28 text:

f iii A fx f 4 'f ' ,. . 2 1.-,cgi ..... ., , ,AA yi if A 1 s Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, was an alumnus ot' Jelferson College in the Class of 1857, and was trained for the ministry in the Western Theologi- cal Seminary. Before his election to the presidency, he had hcld pas- torates in Baltimore and in Allegheny City, and after leaving the col- lege, in Denver, Cincinnati, and Kansas City. In 1884, he was modera- tor ol' the Presbyterian General Assembly. He died in Washington, Pennsylvania, September 6, 1887. Funeral services 'were held for him in the Second Presbyterian Church ot' Washington, of which, through- out his whole administration ot' the college, he had been acting pastor. We do not think of Dr. Hays as a great scholar, but as one who was able quickly to avail himsell' for any need ol' the work ol' scholars. He was a man ot' tireless energy, a popular preacher and lecturer, and wrought in many fields ot' activity besides those ol the ministry and education. He was tall and slender in figure, with abundant dark hair, sprinkled, towards the last, with silver, his eyes were brilliant, his mouth large and often wide-spread for laughter, and his whole coun- tenance full of expression, allording ready indication ol' kindliness or scorn. Dr. Hays- Doc, we always called him when not in the pl'CS- ence - -was very much ot' a man. The students liked Dr. Hays, as did all who knew him, he was what we call to-day a good mixer, every one recognized and admired his talents, his enthusiasm and his energy, and the college will always be his debtor for the services he rendered to it. ' Alonzo Linn, LL. D.,-Clurum el vzfzzcrabile nomen. Dr. Linn- Professor Linn sounds more familiar---was born in Butler, Pennsyl- vania, September 26, 1827, and died in Washington, Pennsylvania, September 26, 1901. He was an alumnus ot' Jei'l'erson College in the Class ol' 1849, took a theological training in the Western Theological Seminary, 1851-1854, and was licensed, May 3, 185-1, by the Presbytery of Redstone, but never held a charge. From 1854 to 1857, he was pro- l'essor in Lal'ayette College, he was for a short time principal of an academy in New Brunswick, New Jersey, then professor in Jefferson College, and from the union of the colleges until the time of his death professor at Washington and Jefferson. Helwas from August 3, 1870, Vice President ot' the College. 27

Page 30 text:

. C I , . A A - ,.,,.,,,,,,,, M ,,, x -... u ,,, v W T it f I , 1 at i' I,ii!t'ti'ItiTi -me f rrr f QQ end of the room. Then, with a sidelong glance at the oi'fenders, Oh, they are through, you may go on, sir. Occasionally, however, he was hoist with his own petard. It happened one day that a sophomore,-- call him Jones-who was much attached to a girl named Brown, sal deep in thought and did not hear himself addressed by the professor. Mr, Jones seems to be in a brown study, said Linng tllld even Linn, who did not know of the attachment, could not immediately silence the merriment of the class, which he was at a loss to understand. But it was not alone in the class room that this great llltlll taught. He bore upon his heart the moral and spiritual interest of his students, and I have known him when he saw solne crisis impending in the life of one of them, to call him into his own home to counsel with him and to encourage him. I recall how deeply touched was one of my own classmates, a wayward but brilliant fellow, who had just come from an interview i11 which Dr. Linn had earnestly pleaded with him to sur- render himself to Christ. And so we not only revered, but loved him. To live in hearts we leave behind Is not to die.', That immortality is Dr. Linnis. Perhaps no character more nearly a unique was ever connected with the faculty of old Jefferson College, or with Washington and Jef- ferson, than Samuel Jones, Ph. D., Professor of Physics and Chemistry until 1878. Professor .lones was born in Southern Ireland, and was graduated from Trinity College, Dublin. After his graduation there, he taught for several years in a Methodist College in London, and was later head of a large school in Bristol, England. While there he was persuaded by a brother who lived near Pittsburgh, to come to America. His first educational work here was as the principal of an academy in Beaver, Pennsylvania, whence, in 1852, he was called to Jefferson Col- lege. ' t Professor Jones was of a somewhat burly figure, with a grim but vet kindly face, he was blunt but really gentle in manner, and was withal a man of many parts. He was possessed of remarkable skill as a worker in metals. and in his workship, which was equipped with a 29