Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-27
WESTTOWN SCHOOL SOON
TO LOSE ITS MENTOR
Retirement of Thomas K. Brown
From Principalship Will Re-
move Beloved Figure

westtown Boarding School founded in
1893, and the one historical education in
stitution under the management Of Phila-
delphia Yearly Meeting of Friends today
will announce the appointment of George
L. Jones as its new principal to take the
place of Thomas X. Brown, who will re-
tire from active connection with the school
at the close of the current academic year
with the retirement of Thomas X. Brown
Westtown loses practically q godfather
Although he has been principal only a few
years. he has been on the faculty for more
than forty years, and the ideals and policies
Of the school have been his earnest CON
Germ for generations Whatever "T. *"
(as he has always been affectionately known
wanted for the school. the committee. whose
membership is made up largely of his for
iner pupils or schoolmates, generally, after
due deliberaton, saw fit to grant.
For thirty-five years Mr.. Brown was head
of the department of mathematics, and
there are hundreds of prominent "Quakers''
In the vicinity of Philadelphia who will
probably still believe that if John, Jr.. can't
have the same mathematical training that
John himself had, the result will be little
short of disastrous. '"r. X" always had
the reputation of getting more work out of
pupil to the square inch than any teacher
In the history of the school. And the funny
part of 1t was he always did it uncon-
sciously-to the pupil. His quaint anecdotes
and absent-mnded antics served to infuse
a good-natured willingness to do every
thing possible for Master Thomas"
ABSENT-MINDED MASTER THOMAS.
One of the many stories told and retold
about the Observation-Disclosures of Master
Thomas is that several years ago, while
wildly explaining a geometry theorem he
got up on the radiator to adjust the win
dow. In the fervor of his pedagogical du
ties he forgot his own whereabouts and
remained on the radiator in an upright
position for fully fifteen minutes, never
abating the ardor of his explanation Sud-
denly. still forgetting where he was. he
started for the blackboard with character
istic agility. realizing, alas! that the tor
OF the radiator was not on a level with the
floor.
But the genial instructor who has never
forgotten that Inc was once n boy himself,
smiled indulgently when his astonshed
class roared with uncontrolled laughter.
Mr.. Brown, who is in the neghborhood
OF his three e-score -and-ten allowance has
resigned his post, it is understood, not be-
cause of any obvious signs of decrepitude
but simply in order that he may pursue an
unhampered life in the open, which has al
ways been his hobby. Despite his age
Master Thomas Is an excellent skater, and
every winter sees him leading the more
youthful, though more awkward pupils in
cutting al sorts of weird capers on the ice
Some of them still stand with awestruck
open mouths and watch his pranks in envi-
Gus enchantment
OUTDOOR SPORTS HIS HOBBY
His outdoor sports are by no means,
however, confined to skating. He is an
ardent lover of golf and belongs to numer-
Gus golf clubs. But perhaps camping is
the pastime to which he is most devoted
lie has the distinction of having Camped
ana given instructions in camping to many
men whose names are more familiar to the
pubic nut VINO were less yelsed in the
Tricks OF campcraft The Master Thomas
referred to in Henry Van Dykes story
between the Lupin and the Laurel" in
mis- Days OFF," is no less than the now
retiring principal of Westtown School, He
the proprietor of Back Log Camp
IN the Adirondacks. to which a number of
MS friends go for summer retreat
4, IL is thought that one other reason why
the veteran pedagogue is going into retire.
ment Is certain satisfaction over the
ABILITY of his successor George L. Jones.
MIR. Jones has been connected with the
Iactulty for flve years, having come to the
quaker school from boarding school in
Maine During that time he has become
woven fixture in the school, and is per-
maps held in as high esteem his prede-
cessor was at the end of a similar sojourn.
many of the marks of progress in the school
nave been due to the close aEice of Mr..
zones since for two years he has been as
sstsnt principal.
n Westtown is under the direct management
OIL committee Of sixty members, their ages
ranging from thirty to ripe old age, 1t is,
therefore, difficult at times to put through
quick changes, because of certain reluctance
on the part of the venerable members who
reel a deep concern" for things as they
used to be when their sires sat in silence
IN the Westtown meetings. Despite this
apparent unwieldness of the committee,
many changes have come about in the school
III recent years which mark steps forward
IN education, while at the same time 1t has
mad the effect of retardng rash movements
lending to destroy age-old and beloved
traditions
Mr.. Jones will assume his duties as active
mead of the school at the close of the
academic year in June.