The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1916-12-13
H. M. Hitchcock
Continued

romped on the grassy, sloping
banks of the Ramsey and Red
wood, dived into the numerous
"old swimmin' holes" and wan
dered up and down, exploring
many hooks and crannies of this
wonderland. AS a young man,
loves young dream came to him
here, and later in life, when
warned Of impending lung trou-
BILE, again he turned to the well
remembered walks and hooks to
seek and found health and con-
tentment away from overwork
and the worries of life. AS the
writer wandered over the leaf
strewn paths of this wooded
stretch with this 58-year-young-
boy, and saw with what gentle
ness each overhanging limb was
put aside by the loving hand of
the enthusiast, watched the
kindly gray eyes light ,ehind
the Kryptoks, and listened to
"reminiscences of earlier days
among these scenes, we felt that
the fifty-odd years that had
whitened hair and beard had
left untouched the heart of the
boy-that here was an endur-
ing love of nature that sur
passed even the love for the liv-
ing.
Praises Successor
| While Mr.. Hitchcock has kept
in close touch with optometric
affairs, he has taken no active
part since his retirement from
the Board in 1911. He has the
utmost confidence in Albert
Myer and has been much less
vigilant since Myer became a
member of the Board. Speak
ing Of Myer, he said: "Myer,
although an exempt under the
law, was one of the very first
to take the examination after
our first Board was organized,
and was the only man who has
ever shown a 1000 grade in this
State. | take some credit for
getting Albert interested in Or
ganization and Board work and
made special effort to do this,
because he seemed to be a sim
cere, honest, efficient man-one
who would make creditable
representative CT optometry."
"For about twelve years |
had made frequent trips to the
Capitol and various parts Of the
State, on Board and association
work, but for nearly two years
now l have not been away from
home, the varied problems of
increasing business having kept
me close to the grind. l expect,
however, to get considerable of
this work unloaded during the
next few months, and it is plan
ned so that my part of the fu-
ture work will be principally to
attend to the optometric prac-
tice. While l do not expect to
get back actively into associa-
ton work, leaving that for
younger and more strenuous
members, my interest in the adj
vance of optometry has in no
way abated, and it will always
be pleasure to me, to aid in
every possible way toward it's
advancement"
Is Optomistic
Of optometry's future, Mr..
Hitchcock is optimistic, yet at
the same time does not blindly
close his eyes to the fact that
we are being closely pressed by
the medical people. His hope
is that by slowly advancing ed
ucational standards, and at the
same time educating the laity
to the fact that optometry is a
speciality and that optometrists
are specialists in this work, the
only legally qualified practition-
ers, we may more than hold our
own. Mr.. Hitchcock is an ideal
list, but not a theorist; his whole
life has been practical. He goes
to the heart of a thing and fig
ures it out in a practical way
For instance, on the way to visit
him, the writer stopped at sew