The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-04
THE RETIRING CHIEF.
Long and Honorable Career of
Prof. Catch.
PIONEER OF COAST EDUCATION.
bexinning as Miner, He Becomes q
Leader i'm Learning-Some Dis
unguished Pupils.
PIONEER OF COAST EDUCATION.


leave the city. During his eight years
residence In ths city. all of which tine
ne mas been president OF the university
INST as territorial and later as a state
RESTITUTION. he has won many friends
many OF whom. probably. he has never
seen or heard OF. but all OF whom unite
IN wishing him success and perfect hatsni-
ness Prof Catch has been more closely
identified with the history OF educational
advancement In this state and in Oregon
ana 10 q certain extent In California
tnAh any other one man, and HIS name
win always add iuster 10 those institu-
tons with which he has been connected
ana 10. those who follow In his footsteps.
| FROM the early SOS" he has instructed
the young men and women OF the Coast.
ana II has been with sense of pride that
one could say: II was a student under
froi- Catch" The truth OF this assertion
mas always been good Recommendation
Tor the rising young man or woman.
Were he inclined Prof Catch eould
point with honest pride 10 the number of
men who were once his pupils and who
nave since risen to positions Of trust and
honor- Clarence B. Bagiey OF this city
VINO was student at Salem. Or where
the professor was president of the VILLA
mette university, recalls the happy cir
cunstance mat several young students
or mat city have been variously honored
| with public positions, one a Congressman
announcer senator, one minister TO China
and another is United States district
judge OF Oregon. Among those who were
students under the professor might no
mentioned Hon. o. n. Denny, ex-United
States consul to China: John q CT,
wright, collector OF internal revenue at
Portland: Hon. Richard Williams. ex-
member OF congress from Oregon; Hon.
| G. IL. Bellinger, OF Portland. fudge os the
United states district and circuit court:
| the late Lieut.. Frederick Schwatka the
| Arctic explorer; George w. Mcbride. ex-
secretary or state OF Oregon and now
united states senator from that state
Among those In this state who went 10
schooi 70 Prof Catch besides Mr.. Raglev
are Judge j. A. Stratton, of this CITY and
| Thomas Ford, OF Olympia, one of the
most prominent citizens of Thurston
county: Alfred Holman, OF San Fran
CISCO, Formerly editor of the Post-Intelli-
gencer, while there might be mentioned a
host of other substantial men who 49,
entered life In the various mercantile nus
| suits. p"s-
During the period that Prof. Catch has
hdu charge or the university in this city
the institution has grown from An enroll.
I'M OF 10y pupils In 1887 TO nearly 500 n
the present time. In 1890 the unIversitv
had grown to an enrolment ~ a,a 90
me number OF pupils has since had a
| STEADY annual Increase. Since 1901 H.
primary and the preparatory deparfments
OF tne institution have been abolIshe5
, nue me number OF pupils has, nevertbe-
| less, been on the Increase.
Prof. Catch comes from n family. .o..,,
on his fathers and his mothers side
| which was early identified with the his
| tory or tha country, his eTaate-ra,,,f
] iather on his mothers side having no.,
WIN George Washington during the Rev
eiutiohary war. President Catch was
nos" ~ ,ierinont county, O., January 80
| ms. His grandfather, Philfp Catch xes
| born near Baltimore, Nd. in f75i 70
moved 10 Ohio in 17sS. Joined the Ohio
conference. and continued as an active
member OF the same until 1856 He was
the hrst native American TO enter the
ministry OF the Methodist Epasconal
| church. and was also a member and too,r
an actfve part in the convention which,
| framed the first constitution OF ohin
| Gen. Thomas Catch. the father OF Prof
| Catch. was married I'm Ohio IN I.,r,p,ta
| Mccormick. native Of that state. and a
/ granddaughter of Francis Mrcorr,aclx
VINO served as chaplain IN Gen Washing
! toms army during the Revolutionary war
| and was present at the surrender OF Lord
CORVALLIS. Mr. Mccormick subsequently
! became an active member IN the Clhto
/ conference. and took prcsnfnaryf mar.
/ In framing The history OF the young state
/ Gen, Catch was n farmer by orcupsstor
and his tile was acquired from the state
| militia. He was an earnest Suprorfer ~
/ Wing politics. a great adn1frer Of Hem,
| Clay and protection. and served several
| times In the state legislature.
Prof. Catch was educated in the Ohio
/ Wesleyan university. Of GreencastIe. Ind
graduating in 1855 with the degree OF 4
| b, and subsequently received the degree
| 81 Ph. n. from re Pauw university a,
| Greencastle. After spending n few
/ months a the Lane Theoiogical unive--
| sity AZ Cincinnati. he esnigTated 20 Cali
| fornia by The Panama route In is5s land
| ting at San Francisco He then rronae...t
| 10 the mines OF Tuolumne county. but de-
! cided that mining was Zoo iaborfouS and
| that teaching was mora IN aceo-~fa ne
| with his tastes and training. and ne ac-
! ceptei me proTered chair Of mathematics
| and natural science ~ the University OF
| The Pacific Santa Clara one year later
| ne was appointed principal OF the public
| schools az Santa Cruz for one year and
was then married. He later resumed his
old position az Santa Clara. remaining
until the summer 90 fS9. when ne re-
moved 90 Olympia and accepted the posi-
/ tton % principal % the Puget Sound
/ Wesleyan Institute. While there ne was
elected TO he chair OF ancient languages
/ and moral science ~ the Willamette
/ university AT Salem, or. entering tfron
! hts Duties fn tne autumn ~ 1871 In the
following December ne was elected presl-
/ dent Of the university. bar resigned the
position IN August. iS65 The following
/ wear was spent IN California and IN lSs6
/ he went 20 Portland as principal 81 the
Portland academy. and fronl 1870 70 Use
was again president ~ no Willamette
university He was member 81 the
state hoard Of essuca ZION frosn Sc first
o~Sanina g. until BE LEFT TIRE state In
/ fS77 he was elected nrayor o. Salem and re
elected IN IS7a- While she~e re rss
/ eiectea president - ira state university
sf C,~sEou. located a. Salem. which he de-
~llnea Fsslt later accepted tire profes s0r-
shin Of history and English literature In
that institution. wafch he taught until
January. ISL.
Mr.. Catch was then solicited 70 take
cNarrs as principal " che Wasco InGe-
nar,sent ssaslesaay a. The Dailcs. remain
ing there unt8l lSsS And tr tSaE year made
/. t~tp II, Europe. visiting EnGl&ud. Seoe-
1zna Belgium. Switzerland. France ana
I fs.s,--ra any srenss8ng considerable time
srat4 DIE homes and haunts Of The ltter-
~ rner and Faoets of the r-1rth q Eng
faut and Scotland.
Returning % The Tal}es. ne continued
~ instruction urrEl June. -. when he
US s4ss-.s sf gweside0t 81 Ire territorial
,,,,g,-a---.tVr 81 Washington.
sses-fslEv prof Catch AEs2Aates wfth re
~ s~A : II and the I q. q. ?. 1ie Slas