The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-12-17
The Eighty-ffth Anniversary Of His
Birth Observed
AT THE FRIENDS SCHOOL
A Poem Was Read which Never Had
Been Published and Is Here Given
Some of the Quaker Poets Letters to
Principal Jones-The Exercises.

fifty honored in any school than Whittier
in yours, aud no purer character or more
spotless life than his could be commend
ed to the admiration and emulation of
youth.
To-day being the eighty-ifth anniver-
sary of the birth OF the sweet Quaker
singer. and the first since his death, in
| teresting exercises OF au appropriate ma
| ture were held at the Friends School.
| Principal Jones was personal friend OF
| the poet aud not until to-day was the
| loss which the school has suffered by his
death fully realized
The exercises were held in Alumni
! Hall. The platform was decorated with
| potIed plants ana in full view, draped In
| a curtain of rich maroon plush, was "a
| life size portrait of the bard, which was
| painted from sittings by Edgar Parker,
and which was presented TO the school
several years ago by Charles 4. Coffin of
| Lynn. Mass.
On the corner OF the platform was az
old chair upholstered in leather. A silver
plate on 1T bore this inscriptions:
From the Home
John Greenleaf Whittier.
Ames0YHsy, YsS3 Mass
Presented 20 Friends School
BY HIS Niece,
Elizabeth ". Pickard.
lDOSe sedJtu Oh the PLATFORM were:
| Principal Jones, DIR. Henry Wood, pro-
fessor of the German language at job
| Hopkins University; Dr. Walter Wood
| OF New Bedford, Mass, Mrs. Henry
| Wood also OF New Bedford Mrs. Han
nah j. Bailey of Portland, Me-; DIR.
| Seabury of Providence; the Rev julius
| Atwood of Providence and G. X. JAG )bs,
| Providence.
The exercises began at 1890 o'clock.
when Principal Jones arose from his seat
| and said: John Greenleaf Whittier
was tue greatest poet the Society of
Friends has ever produced. think that
| this is fitting that we should meet on the
| first birthday aiter mis- departure and pay
| our respects to his memory AS feebly as
| we can.
Verses from Winters Eternal Good
| ness" were SUNK by the school, a few
moments OF silent prayer followed.
| The gift of the cbair to the school was
announced by Principal Jones who said
| that much OF his work was performed
| while sitting In il.
Charles IL. Jacobs. an instructor at the
| school read an Interesting paper giving
| "A sketch oil the poets Lire.
The Rev. Julus Atwood was intro
| duced one " ho had spent a great deal
| OF time with Whittier. The Rev Mr. A.
| wood spoke OF him as one whom he had
known as friend, companion and
TEACHER. .,
sung, after which Principal Jones made
| public correspondence which had passed
between him and the poet, aud read IA
| short poem which had never been pub
| lished.
The following was written by John G..
| Whittier on the title page of a copy of his
| poems sent TO Friends Institute" Lon
! don, in the 5th month, 1871, by Augustine
Jones:
| For what Is wrong crave
Forgiveness. and II haply there be found
Sweet flower or healing herb where weeds abound
| How shall dare to claim
As from myself the gifts my Father gavei
oc without guilty shame
| From ndeseryed blessings frame
A Pagan temple to the idol Fame2
JONI q. WHITTIER
AMEsBURY. Mass. 9th Mo. "a, 1871
Here is part of the correspondence: A
| letter of John q. Whittier in answer To
one from Augustine Jones asking his ad-
| vice as TO his becoming principal of
Friends School in 1919;
| OAK KNOLL Danvers end Mo. 49, 1879
My dear friend am delighted to get thy letter.
had Nohng eoad Y' be- G moe s
| friends. and there are many reasons why II should
s do more TO h g os
and It will afford more leisure an opportunity FOR
e. hold up the old standard of Quakerlsm-the one
| essential ana vita. principle OF the Divine Imma.
project may be realized, monthly or quarterly
paper with Thy name meas as editor d would succeed be,
| Brown fund, which we now hardly know how to
dispose OF. Very truly thy ydrs friend, q wu,rr,r,
Extract from one Of Whittier's letters
showing his dislike Ito having his 2ict ure
| painted. 1t was in answer TO a request
that William Hunt might be allowed to
paint his picture;
| M dear friend:
- II there is anything which shrink from
craven image Of" Very truly thy friend.
| JOHN c. WHITTIER.
The question of the introduction OF
| pianos IN the Friends School was being
| considered, and the principal asked Whit.
tiers opinion. raising particularly the
| question whether the Society OF Friend,
ever objected To music as an art.
Mv Dear Friend:
| Thy letter is Just roceivei. I am sick with n Sc
we're cold and UNIT TO write think, but Will say
| OF thy position aud with could see way out o
them. The fact that the school greatly depends
upon students not Of our faith makes the cas-,
| more complicated.
/ need not tellthec that have no scrupes againsi
enough in itself, butt may be abused and misdi-
reCted as IN COrfuptlng scnSuOus compositions ana
| songs or IN military matters.
| see nothing In IL more Inconsistent with Quaker
| ism than Iocty, rhetoric, or painting.
We both think the Old Quaker testimony agains
| a. a. n form OF worship l. right.
| I should not like to decide Tor thee for thy judg
ment under full knowi,dge n the question is bet
| ter than mine. How would this view OF it strik
| theef The New England Yearly Meeting School
aud it, principal do not undertake
| teach music as part OF the regu
| lar and sanctioned course. But pupil
not Of our faith and others by their parents wlsi
and sanction desire or demand musical instruction
| aud the principal. rather than leaving them 10 q
| into the city Tor u where he could not extend al
| 0versi hit permits them nave competent teacher
| To visit tlem at the Institution, "a matter entire
apart from H. paid for by tue pupils themselves, an
| I'M no way mprOnslng the \ early Meeting TIA
| Trustee of the donOr- fund think this might b
| done without much difficulty.
| write hastily aud without any COmmunlcat ion
with fr ends hereabOuts and leave the matter witt
| th,e fully prepared TO believe that whatever tho
doat will be onscientou .y done and In all prOba
| Iitv tbe hest that under The circumstance coul
| b.. Thine truly. JOHN q, WHITTIER.
| In j. X. Osgoods Memorial History Of Boston Jus
| pub1shedf - -
Danvers, ~ mo. 18th, 1850.
Answer of John G.~Whittier TO lette
of Augustine Jones urging him TO attend