The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-08-19
A NEWsBOY PRESIDENT.
cad of the University of West Virginia
Sold Papers in the Streets.
(From the Chicago Tribune.

From a newsboy selling his papers on
town streets to the Presidency of a State
univ ersity, all within twenty years, is a
rapid rise in the world. Yet such Is the
progress of John Hall Raymond, who last
week was called from a professorship of
sociology in the University of Wisconsin
to the head of the University of West Vir-
ginia. Moreo yer, he is the youngest
President of university in the United
| States.
The way in which Mr.. Raymond wrung
success from the adverse circumstances is
an interesting story Of perseverance. He
was only two years old when his parents
moved to Chicago His education was
meagre, being acquired at uncertain in
tervals in the Englewood public schools
In his early teens he sold newspapers ON
downtown corner. The average boy of
progressive tendencies would look with
abstraction toward d commercial career
but Raymond had little thought of such
a life. AT fifteen he was editor of
Philately, paper devoted to the interests
of the postage stamp collector. This jour
nal circulated throughout the United
States, and even found it's way to foreign
countries.
Meanwhile Raymond put in his spare
time learning stenography. He drifted to
Pullman, and when only nineteen had
risen from office boy to a position which
brought him 81 900 a year. There is
reason to believe that, if he had chosen to
continue in the line of work laid out for
him at Pullman, a few years would have
brought him to a position assuring large
means and great responsibility. But
against the advice of his friends he threw
up his prospects and went to Evanston,
where in two summers and one winter
he completed all the work usually includ-
ed in four years preparatory course,
and passed with ase the entrance exami-
nations to the College of Liberal Arts.
All this time he was earning his living
by stenography. In addition to paying his
own expenses and carrying on his studies
he supported his mother. He entered col
lege in 1889, remaining until the winter
of 1890.
While Raymond was in his sophomore
year he made the acquaintance of Bishop
j. NJ Thoburn, who has charge of the
work of the Methodist Episcopal church
in India. The Bishop was writing a
book on life in India, and was so taken
with the young man that he engaged him
| for two years as travelling secretary.
| They went to India by way of the Suez
Canal, touching at different points in
Europe, and at every stopping place Ray
mond made the most of his opportunities
| for travel is seldom granted to men of his
age who are not in easy circumstances,
| working at an appointed task with suffi-
Gent energy to satisfy the call of duty to
any less clamOrOus conscience and yet
he was carrying on all the work Of his
college classes by private study and
branching out to gain unrequired but de-
sired knowledge
In India Mr.. Raymond devoted himself
to Sansorit. He returned to Chicago by
way of China and Japan in the winter
of 1892, and took the examination with
his college classes. One term of his senior
year remained, but his work was so far
in advance that he was excused from at
tendance at classes. The spring term he
passed as travelling secretary for George
M. Pullman, returning to Evanston in
time to receive his diploma and the par
ticipate in the Kirk oratorica1 contest. 1t
is curious that in this contest he was de-
feated by the young woman who after
ward became his wife, Miss Nettie Hunt
of Aurora, Ill. Miss Hunt was one of
ullO pI1SuucoU Vi uuO yOuuS WolHCA WAOoO
names form list of alumnae highly
| creditable to Northwestern University.
Her engagement to Raymond began dur
ing their college course, and they were
married in 1895. just before he accepted
his call to the University of Wisconsin.
After graduation Mr.. Raymond's rise
was rapid. The first year he served as
secretary Of the Society for University
Extension in Chicago, and the following
year became professor of political economy
at Lawrence University, Appleton, Wis.
A course of lectures delivered by him at
Oh autauqua the following summer at
tracted the attention of President 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 number of
classes from ten to fifty, and in three
months increased the membership from
two hundred to over one thousand. He
received the degree of doctor of philosophy
from the University of Chicago in 1885.
Before that he had been called by Presi-
dent Charles Kendall Adams to the pro-
fessorship of sociology in the University
of Wisconsin. a position which he has
since filed with rare acceptability
His next step as the President Of the
University of West Virginia will demon
strate what can be accomplished by a
young man of push and ambition op-
posed by the stubborn fact of poverty.