Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-07-31
SCHOOL IS GOODANCEL
}. W. Hartman Aids Old "Prep'
Institution With $4,000.
SOUGHT TO HIDE HIS GIFTS.

New Yorker Revealed As Mysterious
Donor to the Cheshire School In
Connecticut p. Morgan Was
Trained Thsre-His Franks Recalled.
Mr.. Harriman's Peculiar Experience.
Many a millionaire has remembered
bis college alma mater in substantial
endowments, but it remained for 10
seph w. Hartman of New York city
to remember his "prep" school with
several thousands.
For months it has been mystery
where Cheshire school, the Episcopal
academy Of Connecticut, was receiv-
ing the large amounts expended on
new buildings and In renovation of
structures standing since its founda'
ton in 1794-an amount upward Of
s150,OOo.
It was learned the other day that
the entire sum was from Mr.. Harri-
man. who entered the school at the age
OF nine and left in 1880. A reporter
taxed him with it at his Office.
81 guess I'll have to admit that I am
the 'angel.'" he said, although l
hoped to keep In the background. l
know how much I owe to the training
I had in that dear old fashioned prep
when my father took me there years
ago, a motherless kiddie.''
A natural next question was why Mr..
Hartman had taken the unusual
course of looking after the welfare Of
his preparatory school instead of his
college.
II found they were drifting because
they lacked funds and equipment"
said Mr.. Hartman, who is a nephew
Of Edward Fl. Hartman. ut seemed
to me that school that prepared for
college men like j. Pierpont Morgan,
General Alexander Perry, the late
General Joe Wheeler, James B. DILL;
Bishop Lines, Ernest Flagg, DR.. ,Hol-
brook Curtiss, DR.. William G. vibbert,
Clinton Peters and c. La Rue Munson
should not be permitted to go to de-
cay. never gave any money that
brought more satisfaction than seeing
the old school .re-established, and Z
guess they know I propose to see the
thing through"
"Joe" Hartman, as he is known
among the Cheshire alumni, just Al
Mr.. Morgan Is known as "Ponty," had
a peculiar experience at the school. He
was taken In after his mothers death
ut an age several years below the
minimum. There was one other "baby"
there Clinton Peters, the artist, who
has since been honored by the acad.
envy in Paris and who has studio in
New York.
The older boys would not play with
them, and Peters and Hartman had
| to make their own amusement. They
became chums, only to drift apart
when Peters was sent abroad to study.
They discovered each other a few
years ago, and out Of the reunion came
renewed interest In the old school
They went to Cheshire, and Mr.. Har-
riman's decision to rehabilitate the in
stitution was made on the spot. A
few days ago they returned to cele,
brate the one hundred and fifteenth
commencement : Of the institution.
There were 800 Of the old boys In at.
tendance.
The most notable event was the re-
turn Of the old bell which had served
in Spanish mission and had been
seized In Connecticut from a Spanish
vessel. The school got new bell In
1880 when Trinity college, at Hart
ford, was being improved, and the old
bell was given to a church at Bran
ford, Conn. Thence it went to another
church at Southington. Herbert D.
Lloyd, treasurer Of the school, traced
the bell, and William c. Demerest Of
the class of rs provided the funds for
its recovery.
A number Of stories about Mr.. Nor
gan's schooldays were retold at the
commencement. He was apt In his
studies, but he had knack Of making
original trouble for head masters and
their assistants. One night Morgan
started big round stove rolling down
a stairway q tutor was mounting. No
one "squealed," and as q result the
whole school was put ION punishment"
New York American.