University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1911-05-11
George William Curtis

lglory and dignity to it than that oi
lGeorge William Curtis. In this one
imam were to be found all the traits
which go toward making successful
man in any line of work and it j.
the highest honor TO journalism that
he as chiefly Unidentified with that par
ticular profession. And still he was
more than newspaper man as every
great newspaper man is and must
be. He was a statesman, and orator
an author, a lecturer, and it might be
said OF each OF these lines of activity
as il might OF everything that he did
'he touched nothing that he did not
adorn".
He was Deacon among the boys
at school. Sometimes there may be
something in name, and in this case
his mates chose name which the lat
er career of the man would lead us
to believe must have been to some de-
gree applicable. The school DAYS OF
Curtis were not prolonged into college
days, nevertheless he was a close stu
dent all his life.
His youthful idealism led him to be
interested in Transcendentalism and
he went to Brook Farm at the age OF
sixteen. Ii was valuable experience
for him for it gave him some of the
richest acquaintances of his life There
were at the farm such people as Emer-
son, Hawthorne, Ripley, Margaret Full
Ter, and Charles A. Dana But Curtis
was never a proper member of the
Brook Farm community though he
lived the life of the transcendentalist
and tried all the customs in practice
among them-''the no-meat, the long
hair, the loose dress.
He had a bent toward literary work
even as boy and he was yenturesOme
enough TO send an anonymous poem
TO the New York American. He was
so surprised as to be almost frightened
when it came out in print But it
gave him courage and he tried again
and again with the same good fortune.
He contributed some at an early period
TO the Rarbinger, OF which Charles A.
Dana was literary editor.
While Curtis was not college man.
he had what is probably the best sub
situte for college course; he had an
extended tour of Europe lasting four
years. He went to Europe to study
and to learn, not to spend money as
so many do today. He did a great deal
of his travelling on foot and thus came
to know the people and the conditions
as they really were and not as they
were painted to be at the fashionable
resorts and watering places. His jour
neys took him over Germany, Holland.
Italy, Switzerland, Egypt. Palestine,
and England. At Venice he met the
Brownings and became their friends.
During his trip abroad he sent let
tiers to the New York Times and New
York Tribune. These letters were en-
cellent examples of clear straight-for-
ward reporting and showed evidence
of keen eye and shrewd Judgment.
His trip also afforded him ideas for
his Nile Notes" and for The Howadji
in Syria, the style of which has been
said to be 'of an Eastern daintiness
which melts in the mouth. 1t was
not entirely correct to say that Cur
tis was not a college man for he was
more of college man than many a |
one who parades as such today. He |
at the University of Ber- |
lin and attended several lecture cours-
es there.
Upon his return from Europe he be-
came active in journalism. In 1852 |
ne took place on the New York Tri-
Dune. But his true field seemed rather
% be on the magazine and he con-
lected himself with Harpers Monthly
md with Harpers Weekly and became
| contributor to Putnams.
The stern integrity of the man is
veil shown by his connection with Put.
lam's. He took a financial interest in
he firm. 1t failed. By legal techni-
alities he might have evaded the re-
Not so Curtis. He
houldered the debt which represented
sum larger than he had ever hoped
o accumulate in all his life. He lee
ured, he wrote. and he stood by the
ebt until it was paid.
Curtis was always personally in
crested in the local affairs of his COM
nunity. There was always one phase of
he community life which he did not mix