The Oskaloosa herald., 1916-06-01

After graduation in 1902 he became
| Plain, Iowa, rendering excellent serv-
ice in bringing the school to high
| level OF efficiency. Closing his work
f, in this place he accepted the position
as principal of the Fifth Ward school,
known as the Whittier school, in Us
kaloosa, Iowa, continuing in this posi-
tion for two years, at which time he
accepted the principalship of the pub
/ lie schools of Beacon, Iowa, where he
served eight years, terminating his
career as teacher in May 1915. On
June /, 1915, he entered the employ of
| Penn college as business manager and
had almost completed a year of serv.
p ice,
/ Robert Williams was greatly inter
ested, and backed up his interest with
an extraordinary activity in all lines
of reform and enterprise for the bet
terment of his fellow-men. He was
/ elected chairman of the state central
] committee of the Prohibition party n
Iowa in the spring of 1913 and was
| occupying that responsible position at
| the time of his death. BY virtue of his
office in the state he became a mem;
| Der of the national Prohibition COM
mittee, and had been planning recent.
ly to attend the session of this COM
mittee to be held soon, Mrs. Williams
i accompanying him. He was an in
terested and active member of the
w. C. r. u, encouraging his wife to
faithfulness in her duties connected
with this organization-always max
ing it possible for her to attend these
occasions no matter where held.
| Mr.. Williams occupied places of
large responsibility in church, college
and community. He served for some
time as a member of the city council
of Oskaloosa, and was always faithful
to duty and performed his service
with much ability. For seven years
he was secretary of the Mahaska
/ County Federation-and was presi'
dent of that organization at the time
of his death. His relations to reform
movements partook of something
more than merely passive interest.
He was a man who had the courage
of his convictions and was willing no
matter what the circumstances were
1 to pursue the right course when once
1t was determined upon. Obstacles
and dangers, the opinion of others, nor
i anything else deferred him from push
1 ing lUGWdIu III luC Coul ihoPpSu ouf.
His service for the church was IL
ways rendered cheerfully and given in
abundance. He was never too busy 10
accept an appointment and never too
| sufficiently engaged in his own affal"s
to devote time and energy. He was
a liberal giver of his means, contrib
uting much more freely than might
have been required. He was a mem
| Der of the building committee of the
near eYarly Meeting House, and was
chairman of the parsonage committee,
Because of his good judgment and
willingness to devote his time, a large
bulk of the care of both of these struc'
lures devolved upon him with most
excellent results. He was chairman
of the board of overseers of Oskaloosa
Monthly Meeting of Friends; also
chairman of the committee on the sup
preston of the liquor traffic, in Iowa
Yearly Meeting
1t has been my good fortune to know
Robert II. Williams since his entrance
at Penn college in the fall of so. Dur
i ing the past year ! have been init
mately associated with him, and hove
found him always to be depended
upon and to be willing to go much
farther in his service and devotion
than the natural expectation of his
service would require. He belonged
in every relationship of life to that
class of people who may be called
l givers-and not to that class who
might be called getters. Whether in
the sChOOl-rOom as teacher, in the
business world in his relation to re
i form movements, or in his service fo1
the church, he was always ready 70
give to the last full measure of deVo
ton, and in it all he was very appTo
ciative of the various acts Of life. His
friends, the organizations with which
he was affiliated, and especially his
| hOme-being tender and affeCtionate
TO those who shared it with him.
In many ways Robert Williams was
a remarkable man; in his ability 10
servo unsclfshly, in his fine type OF
wholly objectionable personal am
bition--for he did have his own ambit
tions which is the right of everyone
AS it could never be said of anyone
that he did not have his faults-so it
cannot be said of Robert Williams
He had his faults, as do all of us but
they were not selfish faults; they
were only the outcome of an extreme
Iy dCllNC SOul dhu IOulu llCNSh SS
traced to imperfection of motives, but
/ were more occasioned by the actual
finiteness of the human mind. He
was so thoroughly genuine, and there
was none of the shoddy about him
Amidst all the splendid characteris'
tics of the man perhaps his faithful.
ness to duty was the one which really
stands out and made him the marked
man that he was. He was not an ex-
traordinarily brilliant man-not a
man of great genius, but he made up
in hard work and devotion to an un-
swervable purpose for these more I'M
usual and exotic qualities. Indeed 1t
might be said that this characteristic
of unswervable faithfulness to duty
caused his death. He was among the
very first to arrive at the college
building when it was discovered on
| fire and Immediately began to super
intend the removal of property. OF
course it was perfectly safe when the
rescue of property began, but the fire
progressed so rapidly and the anxiety
of saving property was so great that
very few detected the moment when
safety ended and danger began. He
was warned to leave the building, but