New-York tribune., 1911-12-04
CLASS NEEDS YOUNG MEN
John D. Rockefeller. Jr., Plans
Drastic Action.
AN APOLOGY TO CARNEGIE
Latter Found His Advice 10 the
Young. Didn't Fit Bald Heads
and Gray Whiskers.

To atone for the embarrassment Thicn
he caused Andrew Carnegie week ago
when the latter appeared before his Biols
class at the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church
with pocket full Of notes for an address.
which he had prepared entitled Advice to
the Young" and found himself facing
row Of bald heads and gray whiskers, John
n Rockefeller. ir.. has issued n general
order to the young mems" class at that
church to recruit its membership at once
with bona fide young men.
The order. which was issued Yesterday,
~ the end Of 9 week of secret sessions,
arguments and appeals NJ all sorts 70 the
class members to do something to give
themselves a youthful appearance, comes
q the direct result Of Mr. Carnegie's sar-
casrn The Laird of Skibo had received an
invitation a weak ago from Mr. Rockefeller
n address the class, choosing any subject
he wished, and the invitation was accepted.
In issuing this invitation Mr. Rockefeller
referred to the class by the name by which
II has been called for the last two decades
and called It the young mems" Bible
class.
When Mr.. Carnegie arrived at the sp-
DOllICn noUf anu came IbINdTb W NBFfiR
to the class every eloquent peroration and
well turned phrase which he had prepared
for the edifcaton Of the young men" be
came a iumbied wreck as he cast his eyes
over the assemblage before him. Portly
gentlemen with bald heads large horn
rimmed spectacles. and neatly cropped
white and gray boards filled every seat.
Not one Of them was under middle age.
Mr.. Carnegie was dumfounded, and when
he had recovered himself sufficiently to
utter n syllable he expressed himself in
unmistaksble language regarding the de-
lusion into which he had been led by Mr..
Rockefeller.
This painful incident moved Mr.. Rocke-
feler to call meeting Of the class few
days ago. The matter was fatty put up
TO the members. and Mr. Rockefeller made
Il plain that something must be done at
once 10 enable the class TO live up-or down
to IT'S reputation for youth. At this meet
ing some persons facetiously suggested wigs
and hair dye Others announced that they
would do their part by shaving Oft their
mustaches and whiskers and donnlng
clothes OF the college variety. These friVoi-
tiles however. were sternly rcbuked Oy
Mr. Rockefeller. who made II plain that
the situation was one OF perfect serious
ness and that he meant II to he taken 30
by his young men" No plan. however
could be determined upon at this meetlhs'
ard the problem was unsolved At its close.
Later in the week Mr.. Rockefeller, reallz-
ing that the situation was becoming des-
perate. decided TO tackle the matter alone
The result of his deliberations was yester-
days announcement. and when the class
assembled for its lesson the following an
nouncement was made:
"In order materially to reduce the aged
appearance of the class members, each
member is urgently requested TO bring and
have enrolled one young man between tile
ages OF seventeen and twenty-five years.
Mr.. Rockefeller denies that his action Is
to be taken as an apology 10 Mr. Carnegie
and declares It ls solely for the purpose OF
saving the class title from being mis-
nomer. Mr.. Carnegie maintains strict 81
lence upon the subject.