The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-04-19

- " ARh ~ hba W ~ AANA
candid when candor is called for. He has
produced upon the whole a book which
Bancroft himself would have viewed with
satisfaction. and which is Of unquestionabls
value 10 the student Of the history Of the
United States in the nineteenth century.
II Is Of value by reason Of the subjects
manifold and long continued activities.
Almost coeval with the century, he was
SUCCESSFULLY Secretary Of the Navy. Minis
Ter 10 London and Minister 30 Berlin, and
he II sven better known az the writer Of the
most p~ainstakng, comprehensive and trust
worthy history Of the American Colonies,
down 10 Bntain's concession Of their indie
pOndenoe by the Peace of Versailles.
-
L.
George Bancroft was born at Worcester,
Mass, October 3, 1900. He came Of sturdy
and pious New England stock, His father,
the Rev. Aaron Bancroft, who was born
at Reading, Mass, in 1895, and died at
Worcester In 1899. had graduated with
honor In 1878 from Harvard College, which
inStitution made him a Doctor OF Divinity
In 1910. He was known as an early leader
IN the anti C~alvinistic branch Of New
England Congregationalism. and from the
founding Of the American Unitarian Asso-
citation In 1926 until 1885 he was its presi-
dent. OF q published volume Of his ser
mons the elder President Adams saidi 1T
ID 4 ohslRo OF Observation-Disclosures G. Rnld.-
OF all his writings. however, his life Of
Washington QsO7l carried his name fur
thest. Several editions Of it we're published
In England as well as in America.
Aaron Bancroft's wife, Lucretia Chandler,
vas a woman Of no common ancestry.
Her mother, Mary Church Of Bristol, r. L.,
was q granddaughter Of Capt. Benjamin
Church, the conqueror Of King Philip and
chronioler Of the Indian wars. Her father.
John Chandler, was'the fifth Of his line in
New England. and the third TO hold the
title Of Judge in Worcester county. Like
his grandfather and father he filled various
Offices Of Importance in the provincial
Government OF Massachusetts. During the
Colonial era the Bancroft family was con-
spicuous for wealth and social place. When
the revolution drew near John Chandler,
known In Worcester as TORY john fed
20 Boston, and on the evacuation Of that
town by the British forces sailed with
many a fellow Tory 10 Halifax. and thence
10 London, where he died in 1900. Aaron
Bancroft and Lucretia Chandler. who were
married in 1888, had thirteen children, OF
whom George Bancroft was the eighth.
The traditions OF George Bancroft's boy
hood are scanty. We arc told that his
school life at Worcester ia scarcely worthy
Of mention, 20 unsatisfactory was the in
struction. Nevertheless. when at II he
left home for Exeter he found himself.
thanks TO a friend OF his father who had
read Cesar with him, on a level Of attain
ments with his fellows. II was at Phillips
Academy in Exeter, n. H., Of which school
DR.. Benjamin Abbott was then principal,
that George Bancroft received two years
Of special preparation for Harvard Col
lege, which he entered in 1918, a little before
reaching the age Of 10 years. President
Kirkland was the head Of that institution
at the time, and his administration was
distinguished by vigorous endeavors TO
elevate the standard Of education In the
university. In Bancroft's time Edward
Everett was professor Of Greek literature,
while Jared Sparks and John g. Palfrey
we're resident graduates in Rancroft's
senior year. Neither with tho two men
last named. his future fellow historians.
nor yet with his classmates, among whom
we're Samuel A. Eliot and Caleb Cushing.
does he seem to have come in contact 50
much as with a few members Of the teach
ing corps. When we recall that in those
days undergraduates generally regarded
the faculty az their natural enemy it is
noteworthy that young Bancroft should
have formed genuine friendships with
President Kirkland, Prof. Everett and Prof.
Andrews Norton, the librarian Of the col
lege. The truth seems to be that the boy
developed early the quality Of maturity
which empowered him 10 meet accom-
plished elders on terms Of something like
equality. There is. indeed, a legend that
when he was only @ years old his father
referred to him a question IN Roman his
tory over which Chief Justice Theophilus
Parsons and a friend werc %disputing. Not
much information concerning the rou-
tine Of Bancroft's life and Wort At Cam
bridge is extant, His membership in the
Phi Beta Kappa speaks for his good stand
ing on the college rank list. At the COM
nencement exercises Of his class in August,
1917, when Caleb Gushing delivered the
Ealutatory GRAFTON in Latin, IN" second
English Grafton vas assigned TO Bancroft.
il is amusing to learn that the subject was
'The dignity and utility Of the philosophy
Of the human mind
The most important part of the prepare
ton for Bancrott's work in life was yet to
come, namely in his four years Of foreign
study. Ticknor, Cogswell ard Everett had
already afforded shining examples 81 what
n young man Of promiFc might DO for him
self in a Continental university. With
Bancroft it was a question of ways and
means, and, happily for him, President
Kirkland provided him with tho resources
needed for meeting his expenses abroad.
In the records Of the ovcrseers Of Harvard
College there IS an entry untCr date ~
June Is, 1915: Voted that Mr., George Ban
croft, about to 60 abroad a. pursue his
theological studies, hC entitled to %iccci,e
a moiety Of the prp"ccGs oc Madam Mary
Saltonstall's donation FOR tho year begin
ming I July. iSis.' Subscqucnl rccordG Of
similar purport mp f. November. 1921, de-
fine him rs a student IN divinity The
sums which the college funds provided
must Of course have hceu supplemented
from private sources ~ which President
kirkland couldappcal successfully. Whence !
soever the requisite supplies wore derived
Il is certain that Bancroft left Boston for