St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-13
RETROSPECTIVE

A sketch or Judge Wilzin Which
APPEARED in the Globe in Feb
ruary.
On the 25th of last February the
GLOBE published an interesting sketch
of this distinguished citizen. much of
which was obtained from him in person
as he lay upon what proved to be his
death bed. From that sketch we take
the following extracts:
Herein is presented two pictures of
life. One is of youth in his sophomore
year at Princeton, brimming with life
and great expectations; the other is Of
the same person fifty-three years later,
ripe with learning aud experience. re-
tired from busy and distinguished
career.
In the face of the youth is a study.
There are no wrinkles of care; the un-
tried sea beyond is beautiful expanse;
warm blood is tingling in every vein !;
the countenance is glowing with hope
there is just tinge of impetuosity.
Yet. with all the exuberance and the
feeting shadows, determination. keen
perception and thought stand out in
handsome relief.
The face of this person in old age is
also study. The sea of experience is
crossed; 1t has often bedn turbulent,
and perhaps at times the voyager was
threatened with shipwreck. but the
pilot has proved master of every situa-
ton; every rough period has impressed
profitable lesson; care, thought and
the budgets of trouble incident to life
have left deep burrows; but the bitter
has been taken with the sweet and
averaged up in the light of good sense,
and now contentment shines upon the
venerable countenance,
These are two scenes in the life of
Hon. Westcott Wilkin, who for twenty
seven years adorned the district bench
of Ramsey county, retiring in January,
1891. The first picture is from daguer-
reotype taken at Princeton III January,
1S41. He was at the time of the sitting
few days past seventeen years old. His
grandfather, Gen. James w. Wilkin, n
warm supporter of De Witt Clinton. and
his father, Judge Samuel j. Wllkin,
were both graduates of Princeton.
Thus the Wilkin family pinned its
faith in this great institution that bore
upon its proud roll of graduates men
like James Madison and Aaron Burr.
But even in the time of Westcott Wilkin
as student Princeton was small in
stitution in comparison with its present
proportions. But growth is not the only
change that has come over Princeton as
we'll as other great institutions of learn
ing in the past fifty-three years.
speaking of hazing," said Judge
Wilkin yesterday from his bed at the
Windsor, where he is confined with
broken leg, 'it was practically unknown
in my college days. No flights were ever
made upon the freshmen. But there
was just one trick we used to play.
When we came across freshman who
thought he was pretty smart. we bided
our opportunity, and finally managed to
lock him in his room. When his door
was securely fastened we stuffed
asafetida in the keyhole and set fire to
it. The young man was released after
he had endured the fumes of the drug
for awhile. We called this 'funking'
him. have said we did it, as though
were connected with the affairs.
whereas cannot recall an instance
in which l took part in the 'funking'
business. The course of studies WAS
not as elaborate then as now; but
we had quite an elaborate course of
Latin and Greek; an extensive course
of mathematics, ranging through alge-
bra, geometry. .trigonometry, differential
and integral calculus; pretty thorough
courses in natural history, natural phil
osophy, geology and astronomy; and we
were, of course. instructed in meta
physics and such branches. Our most
distinguished instructors were Prof.
Joseph Henry, who after l graduated
in 1885, took chair In the Smithsonian