The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-16
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THE UNIQUE ~ ~ ~ @ X
} ROYCROFTERS
~ ~ ~ AND THEIR FOUNDER

carried out: IF you can't have the
right thing on your walls, have them
whitewashed. At any rate, you Will
have the satisfaction of knowing that
they are not in bad taste"
BY conducting his work in the coun-
try Mr.. Hubbard secured pure air for
his workmen and freedom from un-
healthful environment, while the diff
culties attendant upon the isolation Of
such an enterprise were more than
counterbalanced by the prominence
this isola ton bestowed. 1t would seem
strange that the requisite skill. for such
work as is carried on-artistic, mechan-
ical and Iterary-could be found in a
small community; but. except for tenn
porary inconvenience, the originator
has not been so troubled by dearth as
he has been bothered by a surplusage
of talent. Asked where he secured such
splendid workmen in every branch, Mr..
Hubbard replied that they Just blew
in somehow, he hardly knew how or
from what locality One of his trusted
men has served a terms in Sing Sing,
his skilled bookbinder came from Ger
many and another artist from England;
but most Of the work is done by home
talent" the possession of which by the
village lads and 1assies was never sus-
pected until IL was brought out under
the genial warmth of encouragement
Some of the workmen are characters
in their way, as, for example, ''An
Bahia" so called, who was originally
FIubbard's hired man on the farm. but
who now imagines he carries the whole
establishment on his brawny shoulders
Fra Elbertus" Is Hubbard himself,
his front name" being Ebert; "St.
Gerome" is Jerome Conner, a sculptor
of ability. who is the curator and bur
sar of the shop He was brought up a
blacksmith, but his artistic tempera-
ment shows forth in sculpturing. model
ing in clay and ornamental ironworl<, all
his productions commanding good prices.
1t is accepted as a truism here that
nobody knows what is in him until he
tries what he can do" and acting upon
that all these diverse arts and indus
tries have been evolved from apparent
" uppromising material When orna-
mental andirOns were wanted for the
shop fireplaces, st. Gerome' went over
to the village smithy and hammered
them out and was considerably aston
ished to find that the first visitor who
came along insisted on having them at
a fancy price. So It was with a will
liam Morris table to be made Of pol
ished oak, massive and handsome. The
village carpenter baked at the proffer-
ed contract, but when urged to do his
best just went ahead and did it, with
the result that it was snatched up by a
visitor at SIS. After that he did no
more small jobs Of carpentry. but al
lowed his impulse toward higher crea-
tions to expand and find expression.
1t is not known to the writer what
proportion Of the Roycroft pecuniary
profits goes into the pockets Of the asso-
ciate workers, about 100 in all. but they
seem satisfied with their Jobs and are
probably well provided for. The great
est profit to them. however. lies in their
being shown their hitherto latent pos
sfbilities, or, in other words. being
taught what they can do.
Speaking impersonally. it would seem
that Mr.. Hubbard has had in mind that
rewark attributed to the late Professor
Henry. SO long connected with the
Smithsonian Institution at Washing
ton. My ambition is to add to the sum
of human knowledge by the discovery
of new truths which may be of some
use to the world. The practical appI-
cation of these leave to others" OF
the two classes of men beneficial to
their kind, the inventors and adapters-
those who originate and those who utii-
ize what they find at hand-Henry NAV
be taken as a type OF the former ana
Hubbard Of the latter, both havine
made their fellow men their debtors.
FREDERICK A. ODER.