The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-06-14

The founder of Cleveland Institute and pro-
fessor of chemistry in the Cleveland Hospital
Medical College, and gentleman who was
identified with the educational interests of
that city for twenty years, but who is now
resident of Philadelphia, was seen by Phila-
delphia Press reporter the other night. He
said:
have known General Garfield for thirty
years. He lived in the country in Orange
township, Cuyahogat county, Ohio. His pa
rents were very poor people with three or four
children. As he grew up he partially learned
the trade of carpenter and did odd jobs at
whatever he could. When he was about II
years old he hired out to a canal boat captain
on the Ohio canal as driver, and made sew
eral trips from Cleveland to Marietta. In the
fall of that year, which 1 think was 1S48, he
went to work digging potatoes for Samuel
Patrick at ST per month. Mr. Patrick, who
still lives in Solon in Cuyahoga county, with
many other people, had noticed that young
Garfield was an unusually bright boy, and he
said to him one day: Jim, you ought to be
doing something better than digging potatoes
at 81 MONTH
We'll, what shall 1 do? asked young Gar
field.
Try to get yourself place where you can
earn your board by doing chores around the
You can do that, and in two or three years 1
would not be surprised If you could earn $25
per month teaching school,
The young mans eyes opened wide at the
suggestion Of such large wages and he showed
by his looks that he felt really great interest
in Mr.. Patrick's proposition, He said, deter
minedly:
Mr.. Patrick. will try to do it,
1t was not long after this conversation until
Mr.. Patrick discovered that his parents, a ven-
erable old couple, needed just such a boy as
Jim Garfield, and he apprised that youth of
his good fortune. The lad at once took up his
residence with old Mr.. Patrick, and he lived
with him through that winter, doing odd jobs
about the farm and attending school, AT this
time Garfield was great athlete, and he could
handle any boy of his size and age in the
county. His reputation for strength and agili-
ty was even wider than that. as he was known
ali along the canal as most athletic young
man. Duringthe winter at school, he used
every moment of his time to advance himself,
and the consequence was that he became the
first of the scholars. His progress in the com
mon school branches was perfectly wonderful,
and instead of taking two or three years to
prepare himself for teaching as Mr.. Pat
rick had suggested, he was able to take di-
trict school at twenty-five dollars per month"
the very next winter. From this time he con-
tinued to support himself, and with what he
had saved of his salary as teacher and the lit
tie sum he picked up at his trade as carpen-
ter, he was able to go to Geauga Seminary,
Free-will Baptist institution. About this time
he was converted and became a prominent
member of the Disciples or Christian Church.
In short time he developed unusual power as
public speaker, and it was not long before he
was known for many miles around as the most
eloquent young man in his county. He CON-
tinued his studies at the Western Reserve
Eclectic Institute at Hiram Portage county,
until he was fitted to enter the junior class at
Williams college, Williamstown, Mass.
In two years he graduated at this institution
with distinguished honors.
"While he was at college he was in the hab-
IN1s
boring villages on Sunday, and as his power
became known he was in great demand. Re-
turning to Ohio after graduating he was at
once elected professor of ancient languages in
the Eclectic College at Hiram. Here he dis
tinguished himself as teacher, and after a
year or two he was elected president of the
college. Soon after this he was elected to the
| Ohio Senate, and at once became prominent
| member. He took an active part in all the de-
| bates, and his speeches were read with interest
| all over the State. He studied law and was
| admitted to practice, but he has never actively
| pursued his profession. About March, 1861,
| went to Mr.. Garfield and offered him 81 800 q
year if he would serve as vice principal of the
| Cleveland Institute, of which at that time
was principal. He said: Il am very much
| obliged to you for your kind offer, but you
| would not want to employ me for a short time,
| and feel it my duty to say that some of my
| friends have got the insane notion in their
| heads that ought TO go to Congress. / know
| 1 amt fit for the position, and l have fought
| against it all could. know nothing about
| political wire-pulling, and have told my
| friends plainly that would have nothing to
| do with that kind of business, but am assured
| 1 can be nominated and elected without my
resorting to any unlawful means, and have
| lately given authority to allow my name to be
used. 1 don't know that anything will come
of it; if there does not will gladly accept your
Offer During this year, and for some time
before, Mr.. Garfield had added largely to his
reputation as an orator, and extended his ac-
quaintance by lecturing at teachers institutes
and similar gatherings. When the war broke
| out he at once raised regiment and went to
the front. In 1862 he was triumphantly elected
| to Congress and began his career at Washing
| ton"