Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1902-12-12
THOMAS BRACKETT REED.
Brief Sketch of His Life From the Boston
Globe.


Thomas Bracket Reed was born in
Portland, October IS, 1899, and was ed
ucated in the public schools of that city
and in Bowdon college. He entered the
grammar school at eleven, graduating
from the latter at 16. He was found of
fun, but his accumulated knowledge
shows that he was also fond of books.
He confessed, however, that literature in
general, and old romances in particular,
attracted him mere than textbooks.
His first schoolmaster was spare
young man and strict discipllnarian,
holding the boys by knowing and work.
Ing upon the secret spring of their in
dividual natures.
"He had the pull on me-" Mr.. Reed
said, "by holding over me the fear of
dismissal, for l had an idea that school
was great thing for me, and my parents
we're too poor to send me elsewhere"
Many are the "reminiscences of Mr..
Reeds life as boy. An aunt speaking
of him in connection with the possibility
of his being presidential nominee,
said
"Tom was a good boy always, and
very kind to his mother, especially when
his father was at sea. She was hand
some woman, with keen bright eyes,
which had all expression like Toms.
He was very fond of her, and patient
with the nfirmties of her last years
which ended about 1890, when she was
so years old.
Gas a boy he was always reading or
studying, and | never think of him with
out book or a gun, or, in fact, both, for
he hardly ever went cunning without a
book in his pocket to read between
whlles. Eve seen him come home loaded
with game, throw it down in a hurry,
dive into a corner, and in minute be
buried in book, forgetting all about
himself.
He'd watch and listen, even then,
rather than talk with people in general,
but when he did say anything he would
make the Others listen till he got through.
In ready answers never knew anybody
| to his teens
"As boy he was not fond of work.
| His fathers COW was the bane of his
yOut.. She interfered with hunting,
I fishing and swimming, and in general
way demanded an amount of attention
from him which was irksOme in the ex-
treme. The cow gave milk, the milk
cream. and the cream had to be churned,
and that meant more work for him.
Mr.. Reed entered BOwdoin college in
| 1856, when he was II, and his life strug.
gle began with his first term. His father
and mother, though Industrious and
| frugal, were unable to give him much
assistance, and he faced the proposition
that he must earn the money to pay his
college expenses as he went along. His
attendance at class recitations was regu-
lar then, but he had to drop out the next
two terms and earn money by teach
ing.
This is the way he used to tell of it:
~ managed TO get through the first
two years at Bowdoin by doing odd Jobs
here and there, and not eating any more
than the Students allowance advised by
Horace-'a bit of something and plenty
of fresh air. hadn't the time to learn
enough TO be able to coach other boys,
or might have earned little.
Toward nv JUNIOR year noticed that
my cheer "B-O-W.D DIN, rah. rah,
rah," was growing faint, and | said
"TOm, you are not getting enough to eat.
You must get regular meals" So went
to work teaching. | taught the village
school, and so | got along until the
senior year, when | suddenly discovered
that | WAS going to stand so low in my
class at graduation that | might not
graduate at all. So | dropped every
other thought than that of study.
81 worked early and late, and | wrote
a graduating essay with tears of fearful
brine and drops of heart blood. 1t was
upon 1.-The Fear of Death" anu almost
(Concinuec on Page VI