The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-14
TRAMP A SPECIAL STUDY
PENNsYLVANIA UNIVERSITY is MAX
ING AN INVESTIGATION.
seTramp scholarship" Bestowed ON
BENJAMIN c. Marsh, Is supplying
Much Valuable Information.
Brooklyn Eagle.

Brooklyn Eagle.
Philadelphia is at present the abiding
place of one very disgruntled young man.
who Is on the lookout for nice dark cor
ner that he can crawl into and draw in after
him. His name is Benjamin {. Marsh ana
he has been rather widely advertised as the
holder of the first and only tramp Fellow
ship in existence, established, so the story
goes. about a year ago by the University or
Pennsylvania. One cannot greatly blame
the agile-minded reporter who invented the
tramp fellowship. 1t is at once picturesque
and expressive. But Mr.. Marsh and the
University of Pennsylvania both deprecate
the expression. Mr.. Marsh Is special stu
dent of the university. to whom 1t granted
a Junior fellowship, carrying stipend or
$500 a year for study along special soci-
illogical lines.
The United Order of Hoboes would prob
ably sue for libel any individual or publ
cation that referred to them as special So
Geological lines" And yet Mr.. Marsh's spe-
cial study has been the tramp, not on the
road, but in great cities, particulrly the
tramp as he swarms-hundreds and thou
sands of times during the winter-into the
station houses night after night, or into the
innumerable lodging houses and wayfarers
lodges, that public or private benevclence
has established for his shelter.
Mr. Marsh has been hailed as Cornell
graduate, rather to his annoyance, for since
he is not one he does not wish to be repre-
sented as claiming what does not belong to
him. He is Grinnell Ia, man, who has
pursued such branches of study as partic-
ularly interested him in several of the uni
yersities 1t has also been stated that he
| has Travelled some forty thousand miles
over these United States as a tramp, in
company with tramps. AS matter of fact
all his practical experience as tramp or
among tramps has been right in the Quaker
| City during the past year. And 1T has been
| a varied and interesting experience. He does
| propose to be a tramp abroad during the
| coming summer but of tramping through
out the Union he knows nothing from prac-
| teal experience. And why his investiga-
| tons, such as they have been. should have
| attracted so much attention is a mystery
/ to him. an unpleasant mystery in that the
| publicity given them is likely TO interfere
to some extent with their efficacy.
| The idea of the tramp fellowship orig
| mated with Miss Mary Richmond, secre-
| tary of the Philadelphia Society for Or
| ganizing Charity. The organization opened
| about year ago fine new Wayferers'
| Lodge, where the homeless destitute wan
| derer is lodged and fed in exchange for
| some three or four hours work in the
! woodward. About the time that this was
|
| vost c. G. Harrison of the university that
/ the university institute a fellowship for
| the study of the homeless, destitute man in
/ cities. She undertook. through the new
| lodge 10 keep a large and varied supply
| of the material for such study always on
| hand. The provost thought well OF IL. and
| awarded The fellowship thus established
| 10 Benjamin Marsh. And a better man
| than this same Benjamin Marsh it would
/ be hard to find for the job.
| Mr.. Marsh is big. whole-souled, whole
4 avs
| that see without seeming to criticise He
/ has a hearty, frank manner. and makes
friends easily. In short he Is what Tam
| many Hall calls "a good mixer" He is
| moreover, Miss Richmond stipulated
| that the holder of the proposed fellowship
| must be. intelligent. educated and sympa-
| thetic, able to go among the tramps freely
| and win their confidence. find out why they
are tramps and how TO help them to am