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

As early as 1919 Everett had written Ia
Bancroft in Germany: I'VE can do nothing
at Cambridge TIL we contrive the means
Of having the boys sent to us far better
fitted than they are now The suggestion
fell on good ground. During Bancroft's
year Of tutorship at Harvard he planned
the establishment Of a preparatory school
more or less corresponding to a German
| gymnasium. He was qualified for the task
not only by the special heed he had given
at Berlin to Schleiermacher's lectures on
education, but also by his own love Of sound
living and his experience Of. 1.-The difficulty
Of acquiring il. His associate in the I'M
d%ertaking, Joseph Green Cogswell, eventu-
ally librarian Of the Aston Library in New
York. was thrown together with Bancroft
at. Cambridge. the latter being, as We have
said, tutor In Greek, the former being col
lege librarian and professor in m~ineralogy
and biology. As both had acquired much
Of their education in Europe, there were
naturally many sympathies to bind them
TO one another. Their common dissatis-
faction with their surroundings at Cam
bridge served 10 make the bond more close.
In point Of age Cogswell had the advantage
OF fourteen years, which rendered associa-
ton with him Of peculiar value to Bancroft,
who was but %.
In the autumn Of 1923 the two men, hav-
ing resigned their positions in Harvard
College, organized the Round Hill School
at Northampton. The biogrspher points
out that in some OF its characteristics this
| school was a sporadic growth. not per-
petIated in type; in more than one essential
on the other hand, especially that Of the
high social quality Of its support, IL was
the prototype Of two or three Of the most
prosperous boys schools Of to-day, The
very names Of It's pupils might be mistaken
for those Of the boys TO- at one Of the
existing schools that draw chiefly upon
Boston and New York society. II seems
that Bancroft did much OF the teaching
and directed the work Of the assistant
instructors, American and foreign, while
Cogswell acted as the Father Of the Com
munity' and It's general manager. There
is no doubt that the school, as it was man
aged, was a place Of delight. Certainly
the pupils treasured its memory as one
Of their best possessions, Before Ban
croft, however, had had four years Of II
the school teachers calling began 30 pail
upon him, and he felt that his true vocation
was still undiscovered. 1t does not APP
pear that the pupils recalled his teach
ing with the pleasure that marked their
recollections Of Cogswell. The boys called
Bancroft the "Critter' and we're fond Of
playing tricks upon him. II was only,
however, his relations with boyish pupils
that we're infelicitous. For scholars Of
matirer years and high ambition he was
a warm hearted, kindly and helpful friend.
doing them various and highly valued
services. In 1880 he sold his interest in
the school 10 Cogswell, but remained tenn
porarily as a salaried instructor up 10 the
end Of September, 1881. In 1884 Cogsv ell,
pecuniarily s~traitened, had TO advertise
Round Hill for sale and take a teaching
position in Raleigh, n. c. Financially
the experiment had proved a failure, al
though 1t reflected nothing but credit upon
those who had undertaken it.
After ceasing 70 be a sohoolmaster, Ban
croft devoted himself entirely to earning
a livelihood by the pen. While still at
Round Hill he had brought out three text
books, namely. a Greek grammar, a Latin
reader and an edition Of Cornelius Nepos.
He also at this time published a translation
Of Heeren's Reflections on the Politics Of
Ancient Greece" and subsequently an Eng
lish version OF Heeren's History OF the
Political System Of Europe and Its Colo
niee, from the Discovery Of America to the
Independence Of the American Continent"
The FIRST of these translations, besides
attracting the attention OF the Edinburgh
Rerieu. was Immediately reprinted al Ok
ford. During the same period Bancroft
trained himself for facility in writing by
preparing articles for the North American
Rerieb. Between 1923 and 1884 no fewer
than seventeen Of these stand 10 his credit.
Nor were his contributions confined to one
periodical. For example. in Walsh's Amer
lean Quarterly Repiev Is to he found among
other papers from Bancroft one on II. r.
Dwight's Travels in North Germany
During this period also fell his first mar
rage, to Miss Sarah Fl. Dwight. daughter
Of Jonathan Dwight Of Springfield. Be
tween 1927, when the marriage took place.
and 1887, when Mrs. Bancroft died, four
children we're born.
What made Bancroft a Democrat and
separated him in Massachusetts, from most
Of those who had been his academic COM
rades and who naturally would have beon
his social associates1 Mr., Howe reminds
us that the traditions Of those associates
held them safe within the pale first Of the
Federalist and then Of the Wing party.
Those who stood outside Of the pale with
the supporters first Of Jefferson and then
of Andrew jackson we're regarded almost
az the supporters Of Ben Butler were to
be at a later date. There were those, the
biographer recalls, who entertained the
snspicion that 50 shreTd an observer as
George Bancroft forcsaw the triumphs Of
Democracy in the nation, and perceived that
the few distinguished Democrats in Massa-
chusetts must obtain distinguished polit-
ical rewards AZ the hands Of the Federal
Government. Harriet Mar'ineau visited
America In iS3i-35, and ~ she saw some
thing Of Bancroft the hicGrapher thinks
that she NAV have derived from him the
impression preserved in the following words
which are extracted from her Society In
America: A Massachusetts, mar has little
chance Of success in public life unless he
starts a Federalist; and even then he hasno
chance Of rising above a certain low point
unless when he reaches that point he makes
a transition into Democracy"
Mr.. Howe, however, for his part deems
% r,ora raaaonahla N aaauua that Ran