Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-04-22
Sudden Death of Prof.
|. E Warren, Friday.
Dropped Dead at His Home in
littleton, Mass.
For "a Years Was Honore.j Member of
the Colby Faculty.

~ press dispatch received i'm Water
vine, Friday afternoon, bore the sad
news that DR.. Laban Edwards Warren,
LOT % years professor Of mathematics
III Colby college, dropped dead at his
nome in Littleton. Mass, Friday morn
ing. Professor Warren was 50 years Of
age Warned by failing health he retired
from the chair of mathematics in 1863
The report was the occasion of deep
sorrow among the large circle of friends
(which Professor Warren made during
his long period of service at Waterville.
Although it had long been known that
he was not in the best OF health. yet
none Of his friends. suspected that the
end would come so suddenly.
Upon those members of the Colby
faculty with whom the was long asso-
ciatct. the blow falls with extreme
lhcavircss. AS IL colleague they long ago
learned to admire his sterling qualities
of manhood and his un:ailins sense of
justice and the eternal fitness of
| things
He is remembered with affection by
the present senior and junior classes at
Colby: for to them he gave the last
years Of his labor. When he withdrew
from the faculty on accoun; of advanc-
ing age. it was with regret that the
students saw him leave, and now that
he is gone beyond mortal ken, th"ir
grief is deep. "COsnc' was the name
by which he was known among the stu
dents, and he always took a certain
pleasure in it. One If the most highly
esteemed of his hOnOi:s came to him tn"
last year OF mis- work at Colby. Insight
fi"ant'y small in itself it was ncverthc-
less unique, and as such Professor War
rcn valued 1t more than any of the
many high honors that he received dur
ing his life. Throughout all the years
of his teaching, he had devoted himself
particularly to the task Ct smoothing
the path before new students and came
to be known as the frCshman's friend"
| An underclassman who violated 4 COL
lcge rule because he was ignorant of its
IeXistcnce found TO warmer champion
than d.. Warren. Such 4 service always
net with instant and complete appre
tciatiOn. AS q result of the unfailing
courtesy and sympathetic consideration
whic. he extended, and because it was
the only available method Of displaying
their respect and regard for him, the
members Of the class of 1906 elected him
Ian honorary member. This was a
unique honor which he 80 highly valued.
BY the citizens of Watervillc who
knew him we'll as Il stcadfast friend
and Il kind neighbour. his loss will be
kccnly felt. 80.
| I.ahan Edwards Warren was born.
Feb % 1885. in Littl-ton. Mass. He was
the son of Laban and Mary UNOstpr)
Warren. He prepared for college at Col
| nv A. "a ~
SHIRE and was graduated from Brown
University. Providence, i; l., in the
class Of 1866. with high honors. carry
ing with them anrehaion to the Phi
Beta Kappa society. He taught i'm Col
by Academy from 1867 to 1875. when he
was called to the chair of mathematics
Of Colby college.
re brought to his new POST thor
Tough mathematical training and wide
lcxpcriencc AS an instructor Brown Uni
vnrsity. his alma mater, conferred upon
him the degree of a. NJ. in 1869. and he
received the degree of LIZ ID. from COL
by in 1899. On Aug. II, 1872. he married
Merry Osborne Carter Of Concord, n. H..
who Survives him. They had no chill
drcn.
| Professor Warren was Il man Of wide
tradition and much of his spare time
was devoted TO the study Of art. His
lectures on the history Of art were de-
llivered not only to the students of the
college. but also in niany cities of New
England, where they met with unfailina
lapprnciation. His courses i'll art had Il
place in the college curriculum ami
were dcservedly popular electives.
With the close of til" college year of
l?02-3. Professor Warrcn's health. never
Of the best, began To fail. and he felt
,hnt he had earned 4 rest from his lab
ors Of so many years. Looking toward
thc time If his retirement he had had
, a comfortable house built in his native
, foyyn of L.ittleton. Mass. where he
hone6 to pass his declining years. Ac-
cor,lirclv in June, 1909. he gave up the
wor,, he loved 50 well, and was sue
ceoded nv Professor Hugh r. Hatch.
1.-THE present professor of mathematics.
..Tbe death Of Professor Warren
said President Charles Lincoln White
To y representative of tnc Kennebec
| Journal lis a great loss to the college.
lIre was = nlaa Of high scholarship. IN
addition to ;, complete understanding of
: mathematics he was {. profound student
IF art and literature. In his relations
ri,b The students of thu college, he was
ta,tfuI and always kind and courteous
Professor Warren was the possessor of
nob,e Christian spirit. and was a de-
: Won't student Of the Biblc,-in a word, d
: ,olisbed Christian gentleman. He was
ana wnom it was pleasure to count as
a friend.
I The graduates Of Colby will learn of
his sudden death with a feeling of great
personal loss"
Perhaps the character Of Professor
Warren is best shown IN short poem
5 entitled I'm Their Season., which ap-
lpcared IN the Colby Oracie Tor I'o4, the
last verse of which follows:
"A,nost alone in autumn days
l | The centians bloom,
S,u we that a rose or sweet-briar stays
Al en- the wild flowers sleep again,
~ - ,,an with the sun and rain