The Washington times., 1902-12-28

]
This does not include women Of ad-
vanced age. and it is probable that n
the twenty-five houses Of the street
there are at least twenty-five people
who are well past the three score years
that commonly passes as the limit OF
the age OF mankind.
! While the average age OF the rest Of
/ the town must be .ar below that OF thu
! residents OF this street. there is IN
/ doubtedly larger proportion OF It's
/ inhabitants who are endowed with the
requisite OF long life than can be found
| elsewhere
Work Of Benjamin Drew.
Nearer the center OF the town one
may End another Of those who have been
given strength for the days" in the per-
son OF Benjamin Drew.
His earliest recollection is of boys
running through the streets OF Ply
mouth shouting "Peacei" "Peacei"
"Peacei" and he later learned that they
were celebrating the close OF the second
war with England He was then three
years old. having been born ia 1912.
Now, in his ninety-hrst year. be looks
back upon a career OF work for a higher
ideal Of education longer than that COW
cred by two ordinary lifetimes. In ad-
dition to his remarkable health and
vigor for one Of his years, his life is
interesting because Of his achievements
for education and ais contributions to
/ historical literature. and this interest
is not decreased by the thought that
he is the father OF the only American
mandarin IN China.
Learned the Printers Trade.
Mr.. Drew was a playmate OF Major
Doten. though few others remain OF the
people he knew in boYhood. When quite
a young man he learned the printers
trade in the Office OF the "Old Colony
Memorial" which at that early day was
La we'll established and influential paper.
Some OF the political leaders Of the
town. desiring to secure a different kind
/ Of newspaper. engaged Mr.. Drew. then
/ only nineteen. TO undertake the charge
I OF the new venture. The effort to es-
I tablish a rival paper died out soon
/ after, and the young editor engaged in
teaching. a pursuit to which he devoted
| forty years Of his life.
School Was Named for Him.
He soon left his school in his native
town and for thirty-fve years was
professor and principal OF various pub
lie schools in Boston During this time
he was master OF the Philips school
and the Otis School. and connected with
the work in the Glover and Mathew
Schools shortly before the civil war
he went to St. Paul. MINI, where he
/ for a time was principal OF the city
schools, and helped organize the edu-
cational work of the growing town, and
for his work ne is gratefully remem-
bered by the people Of St. Paul. one OF
the city school buildings having been
given his name.
His writings include a well-knOwn
work on printing and series OF mar
ratives told by escaped slaves in Canada,
whom he interviewed These we're pub
lished under the title, North Side View
Of Slavery He also prepared a book
containing g copy Of the inscription on
the monuments in the old cemetery at
Plymouth.
Mr.. Drew at Home in China.
Although. unlike the other boys OF
the old town. he had failed to go 20
sea. he has not missed the experience.
He spent his seventeen birthday with
his son, Edward Bangs Drew. Chinese
mandarin in Shanghai. The journey &C.
cupied a year. and included long visit
to the home of his son, who has at
tained power and influence beyond that
OF any foreign resident Of China, by his
ability in administering the affairs OF
the Chinese customs department
During his stay he was presented with
many tokens Of profound respect by the
Orientals OF the custom house. among
them being several red posters with
deliberately eIi;JI vI,'eEou inscriptions
"a Man With Equal Eyebrows"
one Of these recites the fact that he
has attained a venerable age. is wise
and honorable. calls him "a man with
equal eyebrows" and wishes him all
manner OF JOY and prosperity. Probably
if he should now visit the Celestial en-
pire he would be regarded as a more
wonderful and venerable man than he
was twenty years ago.
Many others OF advanced age might
be named, but the facts here recited
show that the foundations OF American
ism in the home Of Bradford and Carver
are yet secure. The race is stiu sound
and its children are influential and
strong to endure Those who think New
England is going into decay should con-
slider the fact that its original people are
proving themselves wonderfully endur-
ing.
It is assurance that there is something
in the life OF the old New England fami-
lies that will persist for many genera
tions. making real the ideals un0n which
the State was founded by the might Of
the strong and upholding the essentials
OF a reyerent faith in spite Of any tend
Cncy 10 bigotry or doubt.
The aristocracy that endures Is found
ed upon an eutailed Inheritance Of sound