Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1909-06-11
HOW A POOR, PLUCKY BOY
GOT AN EDUCATION
Inspiring History of Hardships Which
Brought Success to Hon. L. 0. Meigs

Su' VIII hio usual Vul'h WHY OF 1e-
ciufng question. l told him he
would get 81 per month for deliver
ing and a commission on what he
sold. His reply was prompt and to
the point: You bet | want it. That
will make it possible for me to go to
college. | have not enough money to
pay my way through the year, but if
| can earn 81 per month it will make
it possible for me to go to college
this year" l suggested to Leonard
that | might be able to do even bet
ter than that and would try to get
board aud room. | saw Mrs Sar-
gent, who was publishing the Pull
man Tribune and told her of Leonard
and asked her to let him work in
the Tribune office when not in school,
for his board and room. She asked
me if he was a nice boy whom she
could take into her home ard on my
assurance that he was offered him
the position which he accepted and
Pullman people will remember him as
having delivered the Spokesman-Re
view and worked in the Tribune of
flee in the winter of 1859.
He made many friends here and
took an sctive part in the college
life. He took part in one of the
amateur theatricals presented by col
lege students that winter BY strict
attention to business, by hard work
and economy, he managed to leave
school with more money than he
had when ne entered in the fall.
He returned to Oakesdale during va
cation and worked as printer and
reporter on the Oakesdale Sun dur
enough to take him tC Ann Harbor,
Michigan, where he entered the law
school. After paying his tuition and
other necessary expenses to get start
ed, he had 81 as his cash capital to
take him through the school.
But Leonard Meigs was not the
kind of a boy to be disheartened by
such conditions. When he said in
his address Thursday, Labor is the
only door to achievement, he knew
of what he was talking. He could
labor and he did. He secured en-
plcVment with the circulation de-
partment of a morning newspaper
and was required to get up at $3.50
in the morning to manage the cir
culation. Later the morning and
evening papers combined and he
managed the circulation of both, for
the magnificent" salary of $40 per
week. He began work at $3.50 A. NJ.
and generally finished anywhere from
Z to o'clock at night, and he did
his school work between these hours,
having the days, between 8 a. m.
and 3 p. m, for school work and he
took part of the night, after finish
ing his work at the Office and before
he began at $3.50 for extra study.
1t was a hard struggle but he made
his way and finished his first year
with high grades. The second year
he organized a boarding club and
superintended the buying and thus
reduced the expenses of the members
and by work at various things he
made enough to take him through
the second year. He won a number
of cash prizes and gold medals in de-
bate and oratory the second year,
for his ability as an orator and de-
batter had been recognized even in
that big school.
Few of the students and faculty
of Washington State College know
that Mr. Meigs, William Duncan,
county auditor, and w. d. Outman
won the first debate that w. S. c.
ever won from Whitman college, but
they did.
And so Leonard Meigs made his
way through the law school at Ann
Harbor. He compelled people to re-
cognize his ability and he made
friends. James Hamilton Lewis, then
congressman from this state, visited
the school and delivered an address.
He met Mr.. Meigs and was struck
with his ability and his high standing
in the school and offered to take
him into his (Lewis) law Office at
Seattle when Mr.. Meigs should com
plete his work III the college, but
when Leonard let the school with