University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1911-10-02

UNIVERSITY luseOUnIAN
said he solemnly. 81 shall be the 1rst
of you to 90. q some at this table
know already" I glanced across at
Judson and Mathews; their face
we're solemn as graveyaris: . chill
went over me. Solemnly all together
We gave him the pledge In silenct.
In q moment, without . trace Of sad
ness, he led the talk back into merry
strains; but the scene stayed stead
lily with me.
The Later Days.
"soon a cab called to help me
catch the train for st. Louis. A
hearty handshake all around, and !
was gone. It was my last look at
the face of President Harper. Within
two weeks l sailed for q year of rest
and of study in Europe; within two
weeks he was laid on surgeons Ia
BILE in New York. An incision with
the knife; q short consultation of
surgeons; q gloomy shaking Of
heads and the wound was sewed up;
the deadly disease had gone too far
to be stopped by human skill.
l wrote him a letter or two from
Germany, cheerful as possible, and
got cheerful replies; but naturally
the old-time spring and energy were
wanting. Still there was not trace
of lamentation or despair. To the
very end he worked bravely on with
brain and with pen.
Here ends the story of the supper;
but the reader who has followed me
thus far will not want to turn ab-
ruptly away from the contemplation
of q man so remarkable as President
Harper was.
What a noble work he did even
in the earlier, unripe, half of full
orbed lifetime! Most college presi-
dents in America do not find time
for learned Investigations, but Gre
ative work in higher education did
not absorb Doctor Harper. Amid the
cares of administration he continued
to be leader in biblical studies.
His fondness for books was great. I
remember well how once, arriving
from journeys hither and thither, he
gloated over the volumes in my lit
tie library. "Oh, the books, the
books!" he exclaimed, like one
whose intellectual mouth was water
ing. What more fitting than to
make his memorial building a IL
brary!
The Man Of Broad Sympathies.
"He was an appreciative man,
with wide sympathies. Shortly af-
ter moving to Chicago he paid me q
visit of two or three days. One
could not but notice how eager he
was to hear what were the prob
lens of q western state university,
how the denominational colleges did
In Missouri, where Our best high
schools were, how education got on
south of Mason and Dixon's line. Ny
boring into him for ideas did not di-
vert him from much coulter-boring.
And my household, also-a blurred
reproduction, in part, of a Virginia
home seemed to interest him,
with its gracious lady over all, its
swarms of children, its Negro ser
wants, widespread rooms, hot
breads, grace before meals, prayer
after supper.
MANY men in pursuing great pur-
poses fail to take interest in little
things. while others, beset by little
do not lay hold on any
great object in life. Unfortunates
they are. To neither class did Pres
ident Harper belong. Nor had resi-
dence in the East given him any Of
that narrowness which we often find
even in high places there. Broad
men remember that there are les
sons to be learned from the West
also. Indeed, Doctor Harper's store
Of ideas was always open to give and
to receive. -
Educational Ideals.
'In general theory he held firmly
to the belief that the great depart
ment of a university is that of arts
and sciences; that among profession
al schools foremost place should be
given to that of theology; that all
should be interlocked on one
Old-time doctrine this,
some may say, but many an educa-
tor in high position fails to see that