The Princeton union., 1907-01-31
TRIBUTE TO A FRIEND.
DR.. o. G. Tarbox, Formerly of Prince
tor, Eulogizes Life of the
Late Charles II. Rines.
Speaks Particularly of Mr.. Rines'
Efficient Work on School
Board in Early Days.

The u n i O. n of this week brought
the sad intelligence of the death of G.
n. Rines. While, in a way, it was
not unexpected to me, knowing the
dire nature of his malady and the in
evitable result, yet death always
shocks us when it comes, prepared as
we may think we are for it. Could
medical skill have further prolonged
his life, it would have been done.
Could swift foot outrun the dark
approach of the last foe, then would
a loving wife have accompanied him
even to earth's farthest shore. But
the enemy of life was within, and in
full manhood he passed over into the
spiritual life.
Adler tongues than mine are needed
to properly eulogize his life. Permit
me to pay a tribute of respect to my
old friend and confrere in school
work. wish to speak of his life as
identified with the public schools of
Princeton.
When in 1882 I returned to Prince
ton to take up for the second time the
principalship of the village school
Mr.. Rines was a member of the school
board, and from that date to 1908, if
my memory serves me right, he con-
tinued in that Office, usually as direc-
tor of the board. The best evidence
of his efficiency as school officer and
the esteem that his fellow citizens felt
for him, is the fact that all those years
he was continued in Office, often
against his will. The citizens simply
would not let him resign or leave the
Office.
For ten years, from 1892 to 1902, it
was my pleasure to serve with him as
a school officer, and in that Way I be-
came acquainted with him. There are
some men in this world whom to see
few times is to know; their lives are
open to view and their tongues are
never silent. There are others, whom
it takes years to find out and to
understand the motives and those Sc
cret, inner springs that move and gov
ern their lives. Mr.. Rines was one of
the latter class. To know him was to
love him for his many sterling quail
ties, his blunt manner of speech and
his outspoken denunciation of shams,
''graft" and all forms of hypocrisy.
Possessed of an earnest desire to &C
quire knowledge, he was a great
reader of history, travels, philosophy,
etc., and brought to his school work
we'll balanced, thoughtful mind, sus-
tanned by absolute 6rmness and self
control. I do not think that man
knew what fear was. His army life
and his travels, coupled with his
knowledge of books and men, rem
dered him especially valuable as
school officer. He used to say to me
"Doctor, I don't know why I am on
the school board for I don't know
anything about schools" He did
know something about schools, and in
all our associations I learned to lean
on him for counsel and advice.
Those were the formative days of the
Princeton high school. Everything
was new and untried, but he was
tower of strength to US all. Whether
it was buying wood for the district,
electing teacher or settling diff
Guilty between scholar and teacher, he
would give the matter in hand most
careful attention, even more so than
if it was his own private business. I
can not dwell too strongly on this
point, feeling, as do, that he played
a large part in building up the ex-
cellent school system of Princeton.
There was always harmony on our
school board. It was, "all agree, or
do nothing,' and I call upon Mrs.
Patterson and Mr.. Cordiner for veri-
fcation Of this statement. He de-
livered the diplomas to the first grad
uating class of the high school, and
always looked carefully after the in
terests of the district, especially that
it's valuable, contiguous school terri
tory was not encroached upon. I re-
member when the Brickton school
was organized he was greatly inter-
ested in that project, and that the
children in that section of the town
should have a school building and
proper school facilities.
1t was my great pleasure to visit
Mr.. Rines and wife in 1905, and to en-.
JOY their hospitality for three or four
days. Mr.. Rines talked much o.
Princeton, it's past days and it's future
prospects, and although somewhat
wearied by disease, yet his mind wa.
the same as of yore and his grasp O
affairs as keen. He was a great be
lever in Princeton as future cente,
of great mercantile and intellectual
activity and advised the invostnon