Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-05-25
a PRACTICAL PROFESSOR.


At Princeton, N. j., there died few
days ago a man whose demise caused
little or no notice in western neWspa-
pers, but who was well known from
coast to coast. The man was Walter
A. Wyckoff, A. NJ, assistant professor
of political economy in Princeton UNI
versity and he was pioneer, If not the
first practical exponent of note, in the
study Of sociology by living the prac-
teal, work a-day existence of the peo-
pies he wished to study.
Often men who volunteer their opin-
ions on varying questions, or give
them when asked, do SO out of the
mere effervescence of mind or from
casual observation. Others refrain
from giving their opinions or judg-
ments until they have made long and
serious study of the subject matter
Prof. Wyckoff was one Of these latter
and he felt that no knowledge OF a
subject could be too complete nor no
amount Of study too great If the stu
dent was in earnest in desire to
learn. This was his belief and he dem
onstrated it in most practical ana
self-sacrifcing way, which proved
doubly beneficial in that 1t gave him
the knowledge he sought and brought
back to him the health which physi-
clans had found to be decidedly on the
wane.
He graduated from Princeton in 1883
and went to Europe to continue his
studies When he returned in 1891 ne
found his health had been run down
and doctors advised him to spend
couple Of years on ranch. He pre-
ferred to seek health while busy, and
planned to carry his study of life from
the books he had read to the actual
living itself. He left Princeton With
no other apparel than what he Wore,
and practically no money. The first
job he got was at West Point where
he helped to tear. down building. AT
ter the first days grinding work ne
found he could sleep, which was some-
thing he had scarcely been able to do
when he started from home.
BY day labor he worked his way
across New York state and finally to
Chicago, in which city he had most
trying. experiences. In the Mississippi
valley he worked as farm hand, on
the Union Pacific road as section
hand and in California as burro
puncher. It took him the better part
Of two years to work his way to the
Pacific coast and when he landed back
east his health was fully restored.
From the knowledge gained by his
travels as a laborer he wrote series
of magazine articles called The Work
ers" and afterwards some of. his exper-
fences were published in two books
called .The workers-The West" and
.sThe Workers The East" A third
book Of his was "a Day With a Tramp
and Other Days"
Walter A. wyckon after spending
years at his books found that he knew
but. one side of life and he wanted to
know the other side, the side obtainable
only by the most exhausting toll and
by life among the workers them
selves, much Of which life would be
too repulsive to most people for them
to overcome their aversion to its hard
ships.
He gained practical benefits Of
which the readers Of his works and the
students under his tutelage were the
ones to profit He was not the "kid-'
gloved'' student and thinker, but was
willing to put his hand to the ploW
He achieved much and set a glowing
example for other men who have an
ambition to learn that they may teach
others. He was the founder Of school
Of social science, applied Christianity
or whatever the term for a philosophy
which reviews brotherly love may be.
Today the settlement workers are fol-
lowing his plan with vast results.