Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1909-07-26
SCHOOL s GOOD ANGEL
J. w. Hartman Aids Old "Preg"
Institution With $4,000.
SOUGHT TO HIDE HIS GIFTS.

Donor to the Cheshire School In
Connecticut j. P. Morgan Was
Trained There-His Franks Recalled
Mr.. Harrir1an's Peculiar Experience
Many millionaire has remembered
his college alma mater in substantial
endowments. but 1t remained for Jo-
seph w. Hartman of New York city
to remember his prep" school with
several thousands.
For months it has been a mystery
where Cheshire school. the Episcopal
academy of Co:Alccticut. was recciv-
ing the large amounts expended on
new buildings and in renovation of
structures standing since its founda-
$4,000.
1t was learned the other day that
the entire sum was from Mr.. IIarri-
man. who entered the school ut 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 am
the angel" he said. although
hoped to keep in the background.
know how much owe to the training
l had in that dear old fashioned prep
when my father took me there years
ago, a motherless 'kiddip''
A natural next question was why Mr..
To- mi, taI
course of looking after the welfare Of
his preparatory school instead Of his
college,
~ found they were drifting because
they lacked funds and equipment"
said Mr.. Hartman. who Is a nephew
Of Edward II. Hartman. ut seemed
to me that school that prepared for
college men like J. rierpont 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 e. La Rue Munson
should not be permitted to go to de-
cay. l never gave any money that
brought more satisfaction than seeing
the old school re-esta blished. and /
guess they know propose to see the
thing through"
Joe" Hartman, as he Is known
among the Cheshire alumni, just as
Mr.. Morgan is known rs "Ponty." had
n peculiar experience at the school. He
was taken in after his mothers death
n hQ1
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 few
years ago. and out of the reunion came
a 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 We're 300 of the old boys in at
tendance.
The most notable event was the re-
turn of the old bell which had served
in a Spanish mission and had been
seized in Connecticut from Spanish
vessel. The school got a 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 1t went to another
church at Southington. Herbert d.
Lloyd, treasurer Of the school, traced
the bell, and William G. 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 tutor was mounting No
one "squealed." and as result the
whole school was put ION punishment"
New York American.