The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-08-27
Judge PARKER,s BoYHooD.
A Chum of the Presidential Candi.
date Tells of Life at School.
(Blnghamton IN. W Press)

(Binghamton IN. W Press.)
When Judge Alton B. Parker was a
student in the Cortland normal school
back in the early los one of his best
friends was Professor J. L. Lusk, now
principal of the High school at Union.
They had many good times together,
and the friendship which was begun
then has lasted through all of the years
since.
During a recent visit to Albany Pro-
fessor Lusk called on Judge Parker and
talked with him of the days when as
young men they went to school at Cort-
land together.
When Altotn Parker entered the
normal school," said Professor Lusk,
''he was as plain country boy as ever
attended a village school. Nothing
about his dress, manner or school work
would indicate that he would ever make
his mark in the world. Not brilliant in
his studies without ability as a de-
batter he was outclassed by dozens of
other young men in the school. But
there was one faculty that he possessed
ability to reason. His judgment was
surpassed by none He was slow TO
think, but when he made up his mind,
nothing could change him.
He loved to tell of his life at home
on the farm and of his experience
breaking steers and doing other work.
Then he would speak with pride of his
experiences as d country school teach
er. He was good fellow among all of
the boys and participate with them in
all of their sports He was an invet-
crate pool player and every night would
be found with the boys in a poolroom.
When he lost he paid uncomplaining-
ly-and he lost frequently.
"One day his father came down from
the farm to see how he was getting
along i'll his studies and to make
short visit. Following his usual GUS
tom, young Parker went to the pool
room at night and his father went
along with him They began playing
and the future jurist lost every game.
That night when they were going home
his father said: Alton, l see that you
lose quite often in your pool games.
YES replied Alton, 1 don't seem
to have very good luck
And when you lose do you have to
pay?'
Why, yes, that's the rule, you know
to pay when you lose, and of course
[ pay when the game goes wrong
Well, Alton said his father, you
know the resources of the farm are
small; that we have to earn all of the
money that we get and that it takes
it all to pay your expenses in school.
1t is for you to decide whether this
money is to be spent in playing pool or
in getting an education. You can either
stop playing pool or leave school,
Well answered Alton, I guess you
are right, but l had never looked at it
in that light before. uBt as long az |
am student in this school l will never
play another game of pool And he
never did.
Parker was never fond of athletics
and never was a very ambitious stu
dent. No one in the school thought
much about the quiet young fellow, ex-
cept in friendly way. He knew how
to win friends and he kept them"
Judge Parker did not continue his
studies in the-normal school until grad
uation, but accepted an invitation TO
take charge of a school at Accord. His
work was successful as a teacher and
he made hosts of friends in the neigh
borhood. There were two young women
in the neighborhood for whom young
Parker formed q strong attachment.
They were members of the SchOOnaker
family in which there were distin-
guished jurists.A One of the girls, later
in life, became the wife of Judge Par
ker.
Il remember one hot summer day"
says Professor. Lusk, when | was
grading oats, Of receiving a letter from
Alton Parker asking me If | would take
his place for the next few months, be-
cause he wanted to take a course in the
Albany law school; that the desire to
become lawyer was too great to resist
and that the favor would be appreci
ated.
Deciding to accept, L took the stage
and after much travel over. the noun
tains, Fart of the way going on foot /
arrived at Accord. Parker. was hearth
ly glad to see me, introduced me to all
Of his friends and made everything as
pleasant as possible"
Shortly afterward Parker went to the
law school at Albany. His work was
not particularly brilliant there, but he
made a fairly good record. Professor
Lusk visited him at the school and has
called on him several times since
Part of Judge Parker's school teach
ng days were spent in Stella, suburb !
Of Binghamton, and the little red |
where he used to inculcate |
MS ideas of reading, writing and arith
netic still stands. Although he had |
title experience, he was given the place |
because he impressed the trustees as |