New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-08
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In the passing of Evert Jansen Wendell
Anne RIGA and the world at large lose one OF
the most remarkable personalities that mas
ever impressed itself upon boy life, char
acter whose memory will remain green III
the generations yet unborn because OF MT
Wendelps active association and interest in
everything that has told for cleaner sports
better boyhood and more constructive man
hood.
Without question "Pop" Wendell, as ne
WAC known to thousands of American boys
was the best known man, especially IN Ne"
York. to the down -and-out boy, the boy VINO
was unfortunate enough TO find himself IN the
hands of the law, and thousands Of others
who found their way into the Newsooys
Lodging House, the homes of the Children
Aid Society and the hundred other institu-
tons that are making for better MANHOOD
and offering a helping hand to every Needy
young man with whom they come in contact
The newsboy and juvenile functions in New
York will never be quite the same without
I the presence of him whose aim and enjoy
ment in life were to make their existence nap
pier and to boost them along just little
further in the battle for success.
Never Gave Up Hope
"Pop" Wendell never lost confidence in a
boy The boy never strayed so far from the
straight and narrow that he could not sun
see some hope of regeneration in the boys
life.
The writer will not soon forget the CONVEX
sation regarding the life and character OF
young man now in Sing Sing. After one OF
the worst records on the pages of crlmlnallty
had been discussed, Mr.. Wendell replied !
still think" mentioning the boys name, that
he has good stuff in him, and that If given
another chance he would make good
Some critics have thought that this conh-
dence was carried too far at times, but the
writer has known thousands of boys VINO
counted Wendell as their best friend, ana
the two or three who did not merit his cease
less liberality sink into insgnifcance COM
pared to the legions who grew into all the
fine parts of a clean, reliable and dependa-
bic manhood because there was one man IN
New York who never lost confidence in them
He saw these boys growing up into man
hood They accosted him on the street, IN
the subway, in the Office building, wherever
he might go, and knew that his attitude tow
ard boys and boy life was correct, as he sa"
them growing up into manhood and making
reliable citizens. Never respecter of per-
sons, he favored neither race nor religion,
counting one boy just as worthy of his help
and friendship as another.
Would that there were more men of wealth
who possessed the viewpoint of Mr.. Wendell
who. after coming out of Harvard thirty
years ago one of the most popular men OF
his college, started in TO make mis- life usetuI
and to leave a memory of deeds accomplished
unselfshly that can never be estimated eX-
cept in the countless thousands of men now
out in the markets of real life who date
their upward path from the time when Pop
Wendell gave them just word of encourage
ment, tided them over temporary period of
embarrassment financially, held on to them
when others gave them up, and stuck to the
task of making them over until they got
started right
Hundreds of men in all walks of life have
spoken to the hordes who have come into the
Newsboys' Lodging House, but no man ever
possessed the art of talking TO boys as did
this man. He knew them, he interested them
He based his confidence on the thousands
that went straight, and not on the few who
went wrong.
The Art of Talking to Boys
II was a pleasure to listen to him and TO
notice how ne magnetized them, and to see
how they responded TO every word. lie
taught the writer more about the art OF
speaking to boys than any one in America.
In talking to him recently he told me he
did not prepare his speeches. replied: FOR
heavens sake, don't start preparing them,
for YOU are already past master and prep
sraton would serve to take away your orIgl-
nality and the expression that comes only
from the heart through the medium OF eX-
tempore speech
Orators may magnetic great audiences
but give me the man who can get into the
heart of the boy and l will show the man
whose contribution TO the development OF
manhood is second to none. Such man was
Evert Jansen Wendell.
And he did not stop with his characteristic
speeches. but would stay long after the au-
dience had gone home, and, seated at the