Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-19
DIsrINeuIsHED EDuCArOR DEAD
Tribute 70 the Life work Of DANIEL c.
Gilman.


The Baltimore American pays this tH-
butte 10 the life work cs Daniel Colt Gil
man. who died suddenly on october u:
The life that closed in the sudden pass
ing away Of President Gilman Is one that
will ever be memorable IN the history OF
American education and learning Upon
our own city and state It has LEFT a mark
- deep and so lasting that q Is difficult
TO overstate It's significance. but the in
fuAnce that emsnatej from the Baltimore
university whose character and AIMS re-
ceived their irdeliblc stamp from Mr.. Gil
mans constructive genius Is registered in
the splendid advance that has been made
by Americas leading institutions OF learn
ing. from Massachusetts to California. from
Wisconsin to Texas. He had established.
among those who knew, a remarkable
reputation as an organizer Of university
work before he was called here. and Il
was the nestimsblA good fortune OF the
Johns Hopkins university that its trustees
had the wisdom to choose the man who
had given such evidence OF his quality as
the head Of the new institution. and to
intrust to him almost absolutely the snap
ing Of its character and career. Assuming
that task at the age Of a. President Gil
man entered upon ii with all the zeal and
hopefulness OF youth. with all the saSscity
and judgment OF mature age. Endowed
with an almost marvellous sense for the
choice Of men. he gathered about him a
body Of gifted and enthusiastic scholars,
who at once gave to the new university a
character befittins the high aim which
from the beginning President Gilman
clearly and resolutely pursued. The result
was an achievement that has been too often
recognized to require specification now. but
It should never be forgotten that 1t was
President Gilman's clearness OF vision. his
sympathetic oversight, his cesseless &C
tivity, his extraordinary talent in selecting
and in dealing with men, that the signal
success Of this great experiment was due.
The creation OF Johns Hopkins university
and the work of presiding over its cuvt
ties and development for a quarter Of a
century formed the central feature OF Mr..
Gilman's life, cvershadowing all others IN
Importance. But to think OF him as a uni
versity president only would be to do far
less than Justice to his memory. He wss,
first and foremost, a man Of public spirit
from his earliest manhood to the close OF
his long life he seized with eagerness every
opportunity to aid IN works OF philan-
thropy and enlightenment, to promote good
causes, whether Of a local. a national or a
worldwide scope. Here in Baltimore any
thing that tended 10 uplift the community,
whether it was a library or an art insti-
tute or a movement for more efficient city
government, was sure to find IN Mr.. Gil
man an active and helpful friend. In con-
nection with the Peabody fund and the
Slater fund and the Civil Service Reform
league and a score OF other things he gave
his time and his interest for the nationa
welfare. Essentially and by nature an op-
timist, he inspired those around him Will
that love OF work and that confidence thai
good work would yield good fruit, which h
himself maintained undiminIshed from
youth to age; and today. as they hear thai
his labors are over. hundreds Of younger
mer,. scattered throughout the universities
OF our country and filling other importan
stations In every state in the union, vii
call up cherished memories OF those fruit
full years at Johns Hopkins and feel tina
they owe to President Gilman a debt o
gratitude which they can never forget.