Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-01-19

With Terrible Patn-IDctdenf Of HIS
| Early Day. When He Led q band.
HE Methods of working.
The late DIR. William Rainey Harper,
who had been president of the Uni
versity of Chicago since its inception
| in 1891, excelled in many things-as a
scholar, as a teacher, as a great edu-
cational organizer, as an authority on
Hebrew and other Semitic languages
but in nothing was he more admirable
than in the fortitude he displayed in
the illness that resulted in his death,
says the New York Times. During the
many months in which he suffered ter
rible pain. when he knew that his days
were numbered, that all the physicians
and surgeons could do was to prolong
them for a little while, he remained
ever cheerful and to the last minute
possible carried on the duties Of his
position with all his usual keenness
and vigor.
1t has been an inspiring spectacle
that of this doomed man refusing to
give in. Two months ago, when the
cancer which killed him had grown to
such size that the abdominal region
had to be kept numb in order to make
it possible for DIR. Harper to endure
the pain, he was sitting up in bed re-
ceiving the bulletins of the Chicago
Northwestern football game and fol-
lowing the moves on plan he had pre-
pared. Like so many other men who
afterward became well known, he was
sickly child, but after his seventh
birthday his health improved, and
when he was ten years old he entered
Muskingum college, near Granville, O..
from which he received the degree of
bachelor of arts at the early age of
fourteen. He caused local scholars to
cape with wonder when he delivered
his commencement GRAFTON in Hebrew.
In 1873 when members of the senior
class of Dennison university, Granville.
O., were preparing for their commence
ment events q member of the class, &.
T. Thompson, a we'll known lawyer of
Minneapolis, was authorized TO arrange
for the services of a country band at
Cambridge not far from Granville.
says the Minneapolis Journal. The
band went to Granville, performed sat
isfactorily, and the leader, who had
a little institution not far from Gran
ville made favorable impression upon
both the students and the members of
the faculty with whom he came in con-
tact at DennisOn He also was pleased
with the reception given him-so much
so that he decided to return there as
student. He proved bright fellow and
under the persuasion OF the Dennison
faculty decided to study theology and
prepare for the ministry. Prior to that
time he had no special aim in life, no
particular ambition beyond that of |
leading the Cambridge band, but ambi- |
lions were awakened at Dennison |
which led to his becoming notable |
scholar, particularly in the field of
Greek and Hebrew literature.
A few years ago he came to Mime
apolis to deliver several lectures in a |
course under the auspices of the Insti- |
tute of Biblical Literature, an organiza- |
ton formed for the promotion of study |
Of the Bible While resting one after
noon in the study of the First Baptist |
church, where these lectures were de- |
liyered. this eminent scholar said to |
Mr. Thompson:
what was your collegeT
"Dennison university" was the reply. |
"What class?'
Seventy three"
"WelI, do you remember that your
class engaged the Cambridge band for
your commencement"
II certainly do" said Mr.. Thompson.
''as made the engagement myself"
"Well, do you remember the leader Of
that band"
Yes, L remember that the leader was
a pleasant, agreeable fellow. who gave
US our moneys worth
"Ah, thank you, 1 am rather glad to
hear you say that" said the lecturer,
"for 1 was the leader of that band"
Mr. Thompson was not more surpris-
ed than the reader will be when he dis
covers that the leader of the band was
DIR. w. r. Harper, the late president Of
the University of Chicago.
For fifteen years DIR. Harper slept no