The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-10-16
NEWSBOY 70 PRESIDENT
HEAD OF \ GREAT UNIVERSITY
SOLD PAPERS.
Success Won in Spite of the Most Ad-
verse Circumstances-By Study and
Economy Boy Wins Fame.

From a newsboy selling papers on
the corners of Chicago's crowded
downtown streets to the presidency of
a state university all within twenty
years, is a rapid rise in the world. Yet
such is the progress of John Hall Ray
mond. who last week was called from
a professorship of sociology in the
University of Wisconsin to the head
of the University of West Virginia.
Moreover he is the youngest president
of a university in the United States,
The way in which Mr.. Raymond
wroung success from adverse circum-
stances is an interesting story of per-
severance. He was only two years old
when his parents moved to Chicago.
His education was meagre, being ac-
quired only at uncertain intervals in
the Englewood schools. In his early
teens he sold papers on a down town
corner. The AVERAGE boy of progress
sive tendencies would look with sat
isfaction toward a commercial career,
but Raymond had little thought OF
such life. At Is he was editor of
Philately. paper devoted to the in
terests of the postage stamp collec-
tors. This journal circulated through
its way to foreign countries.
Meanwhile Raymond put in his
spare time learning stenography. He
drifted to Pullman. and when only 10
had risen from office boy to posi-
ton which brought him $1,000 per
year. There is reason to believe that.
if he had chosen to continue in the
line of work laid out for him at Pull
/ 20, hnN 1t
him to position assuring large
means and great power.
He returned to Evanston in time to
participate in the Kirk oratorical con-
test. 1t is curious that in this contest
he was defeated by the young woman
who afterwards became his wife, Miss
! Nettie Hunt of Aurora, Ills. Miss
| Hunt was one of the brightest of the
young women whose names form Il
list of alumnae highly creditable to
! the Northwestern University. Her en-
gagement to Raymond began during
their college course, and they were
married in 1895. just before he accept
ed his call to the University of Wis
conSin.
After graduation Mr.. Raymond's
rise was rapid. The first year he serv-
tu us secretary Ol lne IoOclplN LOT I III
versity Extension of Chicago. and the
following year became professor OF
political economy at Lawrence univer-
sity, Appleton. Wis. course of lee
lures delivered by him at Chautauqua
the following summer attracted the
attention of Professor Harper of the
University of Chicago, and the next
winter saw Raymond as secretary and
lecturer in the class study work of the
university extension department OF
the Chicago institution. His ability as
an organizer was here brought into
play. In one year he raised the num-
Der of classes from ten to fifty. and
in three months increased the mem
bership from 200 to over 1000. He re-
ceived the degree of doctor of philos-
ophy from the University of Chicago
in 1885. Before that he had been call
ed by President Charles Randall Ad-
ans to the professorship of sociology
in the University of Wisconsin. pc,
sition which he has since filed with
rare acceptabiity.
The next step as the president of
the University of West Virginia will
demonstrate what can be accomplish
ed by young man of push and ambi-
ton opposed by the stubborn fact of
| poverty.