Worcester Polytechnic Institute - Peddler Yearbook (Worcester, MA)

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though declining office for himself. He had been repeatedly urged to accept nomination for the mayoralty. In 1907, after his party had been twice defeated, the call seemed imperative. The people’s verdict was recorded in his election by a plurality of nearly 1700, the largest ever given in Worcester to a Republican in a first-year contest. Some years ago, with much hesitation because of his engrossing busi¬ ness cares, Mr. Logan was asked to lecture on “ Business Organization ” before an Institute class. His reply, prompt and characteristic as it was gratifying, was: “I’ll do it! I ' ll be glad to do it!” The lectures made a strong impression, and later served as a basis of a similar course, delivered at other colleges. In recognition, Dartmouth conferred upon the lecturer the degree of Master of Arts. In 1900 Mr. Logan became a Trustee of the Institute, bringing to the board eminent qualifications for such service—tact in dealing with men, keen business sense and large financial experience, and strong faith in and enthusiasm for Tech and Tech’s future. Two years ago, when the Hill estate was on the point of falling into t he hands of a purchaser who planned to cover it with “three-deckers,” it was James Logan, this adopted son of Tech, who by his own generous example and by his personal appeals got together the five Alumni who joined with him in paying the $25,000 necessary to prevent the threatened profanation of the Tech campus. It was a characteristic manifestation of the foresight, of the readiness to put forth personal effort, and of the contagion of unselfish leadership wdiich have made many an enterprise go forward when James Logan put his shoulder to the wheel. Strength to his shoulder! May he live long and prosper!

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The Honorable James Logan, A. M. J AMES LOGAN was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1852, but before he bad rounded out his first twelve-month, Worcester County had become his home. His parents were blessed with an abundance of Scotch thrift, but with so little lucre that the cost of the ocean pas¬ sage was a heavy burden. The boy’s early years were spent in Cherry Valley, Leicester, just beyond the limits of Worcester. He left school for the mill at about as early an age as the law allowed, but had the persist¬ ence to study evenings with a teacher who had become interested in him. Later he trained himself as a bookkeeper, and secured employment with a manufacturing concern. In 1873 he became a ‘ ‘ Tech! ’ 7 His matriculation was received not at the hands of the Faculty, but of the students. As a clerk in Sanford’s book store, he met most of the boys from the Hill, and they were quick to adopt a man with his capacity for good fellowship. He was much in their rooms, and sang on their glee club, and the professors soon thought that Logan knew more than they did about many of the performances at the “ Wor¬ cester County Free Institute of Industrial Science.” From that day to this, few men have had a wider acquaintance with Tech men, and wher¬ ever Tech alumni get together, no one is surer of a warm welcome than James Logan. In 1878 he entered the employ of the Whitcomb Envelope Co. Six years later, with three men with whom he had been there associated, he withdrew and established the Logan, Swift Brigham Envelope Co., a firm which soon became the pace-maker in the industry. When ten leading envelope companies were combined to form the United States Envelope Co., it was a foregone conclusion that James Logan must be its general manager, a position which he still 1 holds. In spite of the heavy demands which business has made upon him, Mr. Logan has been prompt to respond to other calls. He has given liberally of his strength and of his means to the various institutions of his home city. The village where his boyhood was spent has received from him a beautiful park as a memorial to his father and mother who there found rest after a life of toil. For many years he has been one of the main pil¬ lars of Central Church. In Worcester politics he has been an active force, 6

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