Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-09-11
Venerable Ex. Omcial of State Uni.
versity Leaves the State.
His Home.
a Noted Educator Of . Long and
Self Made Career His
Lies Work
Retired From Public Life in 1887
Will End His Days With
His Children
,ecial to Times-Republican.

VINO were students I'M the State Uniyer- L
sity from 1875 to 1887 to know that DIR. X
Josiah u. Pickard, who was president
Of the university during that time, is
about to leave the state to spend the
evening of his life with his children, a
daughter In California and son In
Minneapolis. Very few university pres
idents come so close to the Individual
student as President Pickard did Mol.
man in Iowa City was more beloved /
than he during the twenty-five years
he has lived there. Dr. Pickard's life
has been one long uninterruted devo-
tional act in which his wife has been
the worshipped one. Her recent death
is the cause OF his leaving Iowa City |
He retired from the university, as he
then said, on the fortieth anniversary
of their marriage, that he might givel
himself to her, a free man from public
service, which 1 had not been since
1853. They were married in Newark,
N. j., in August, 1s47. Her name was
Cornelia Van CIeve Woodruff. In 1887,
at the reunion OF the famous PlattevileI
school in Wisconsin, DR.. Pickard told
this story about his marriage:
'Forty-one years ago this month it
was my good fortune to travel from
Elizabeth, ILL., to Potosi. and back thru
Platteyille, in the company Of the be-
loved John Lewis and Electa Page, his
wife. A little later my attention was
called to the then vacant PlattevilIe
Academy. Just one half hour after this
Of the Galena Academy. The latter call
was more attractive in some respects,
but / had come to love Mr.. and Mrs.
Lewis. whose home was in Wisconsin
1 have since learned that power be-
l.yond human determined my decision.
In those days of Invitations one had
bgone from me to the girl had left be-
lhind me. AS in duty bound she COM
suited her guardian. who consented to
her going west in condition. that she
should not go to Galena. An early ex
|per!ence had given him most unfa
Svorab!e impression of Galena. Was
there not a Providence in my choice be-
lfare her answer had reached me :? When!
THAT most important answer came, /:
slfad been a resident of Platteville for
4 more than month. God had given me
1.-THE dear wife who has been for forty
5Iyears my love and my helper, and that
4 u might be sure of such and such had
turned my thought from Galena to
a 8lPIatteville
i Forty years a go today i took passage
slupon the steamer Hendrick Hudson. at
sIChicago, on my way around the lakes
A toward Newark. N. j., where the OBJ
SIject OF my affection awaited the coming
s of her betrothed. that she might take
lmy name and share my fortunes. 1t
a Twas no small matter for one who had
!. all her life been reared in city with
lits conveniences and social attractions
). to come to a village without a foot OF
il sidewalk, with its mud almost bottom-
Iless. with its public square honey
i iconlbed with mineral holes. But she
.ilhad a brave spirit. and with resolution
Z set herself to making the best of hel
surroundings and her opportunities
I How Well she came to love Platteville
i and its excellent citizens her absence
today attests. She dared not trust her,
! self to the emotions which a visit t
her home, the place of the birth of he1
Ichildren, the scene of severe illnesses
1.-THE home of so many dear departed
friends would awaken An orphan il
a Infancy, she had never known a hom,
d till she entered one of her own. Thi
Z first home she cherished in her heart Q
d hearts. The church in which she frs
: professed her faith in Christ is gone
h the loved pastor sleeps in the quie
I home yonder. Many, so many of her in
d ltlmate friends rest beside him. Fey
lremain. To these she sends her tribut
|of affection OF the wealth of this af
. lection 1 have had forty years ties,
s and my gift to her on he fortieth ami
s of her marriage is to be a ma
: free from public service. which has ha
s since 1859 my unwearied care
g Those who attended the alumni ban
y uuet at the last university commence
ment will RENE ember DR.. Pickard's IS ten
- der reference to the absent one and tn
message of love which she sent. Dl
Pickard's work in the university wa
o rot his first educational work in Iowa
dit began in 1S49 when he worked in
81 teachers institute in Dubuque.
lie The school in Platteyille, Wis, wher
k |he began his work in the west, had YER
q. small beginnings. At first there wer
|only five pupils and the principal had
depend upon these for his living. Bu
his work soon began to count and whe
N ne left the school a few Years later !
II tIhad over 300 students. DIR. P1ckard thu
'eSItells of his first experience in Platte
6 vile:
in t.Belated in leaving Elizabeth, nigf
s came upon me on the prairie ridg
|eight miles from town. Thru the ric
mud I walked before the horse, lest II
= ) road should be lost for 1T was a dar
% and cloudy night Not once in tn
= = gloom did i regret the choice ha
IA made, and when upon the morning |
1.-The nth of November five persons. fol
OF whom still survive. answered to Il
rs |call for students to meet their your
of Teacher. I was not disheartened,.e eve
& tho the tuition Of these five for a ye.
It. would hardly pay my board for
month. NY courage did not forsake m
for I felt that faithful service, with Il
p-l ave would bring its reward. Numbe
ilslincreased long -looked for lett
u came and of course 4 was happy. -
nrst years enrolment was loe. 2