Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-09-12
FORMER ELKO
MAN IN DEAD
Was Head Of Mems Dormi-
tory for Twenty-Five
Years


on North Virginia street, says the
Reno Gazette.
Although in failing health for sey.
eral years. his death came suddenly
and was a great shock to hundreds of
friends in Reno and in all parts of the
state. He was around Saturday visit
ing old friends and was in the best
of spirits and feeling better than he
had for some time. He had suffered
from several strokes of paralysis and
it is thought that final stroke this
morning accompanied by an internal |
hemorrhage caused his death.
| At U. Of N. for 22 Years
Prof. Dick" Brown, known famil.
iarly TO hundreds of former university
students as just Prof. or Dick, was
| the best loved and most prominent
! professor that was ever connected
with the university. He had charge
of the mems dormitory at the institu.
tion from 1891 to 1913 and in those
twenty-five years he was friend and
! adviser to every man who ever lived
in the old Rams Pasture" as the first
dormitory was called, or in Lincoln
hall.
! n strict disciplinarian in every
sense. Prof. maintained order in the
hall at all times, but in doing it he
added TO the enjoyment of living in
| the place and his decision in any Iuat.
ter was never questioned. He cOnsid-
cred the feelings of the men under
| him as he did those OF his own family
! and whenever trouble overlook one OF
the students Prof. was the first ono
he went to for advice or financial as
sistance. In the early days OF the
institution he maintained, what is of.
ten. n.referred to by older men, private
bank. Prof. was the banker and the
students were not depositors but Dor.
roweTs. He took no receipts for his
money and OFTEN said that not one
student had ever failed to pay back his
obligation.
Before becoming connected with the
university, Prof. Brown was cutter in
the Carson mint for several years. lie
was appointed head of the mechanical
department by the regents during the
govcrnorship of Gov. ColcOrd. There
, was no mechanical department at the
university when he took charge and
with a corps of loyal students he con
structed the first mechanical building,
which also served as the mems dormi.
, tory. During the progress of Il base.
, ball game on the quadrangle few
, years later a mislaid cigarette set the
, building on fire and destroyed it and
, its contents. The cigarette incident
, Is mentioned here because in later
, years it was against the rules OF Lin
, coin hall for any man to smoke 2
, cigarette and as long as Prof. Brown
, was in charge the rule was general!
, lived up to.
y Built Mechanical Building
. The mechanical building was It
y built and as the courses were broader
y ed Prof. devoted his time to genera
. supervision of this department Will
he gave special attention TO the car
of the dormitury and to the building
! and grounds. When Lincoln hall wa
completed he moved into it with hi
IN family and had charge of il until fai
'h ing health forced him to retire fror
H. the active work. He also had charg
AZ of the dining hall and supervision q
u the entire campus including lawns an
'r buildings.
nj When he left Lincoln hall his depa
~ ture was noted with great regret Is
the students then attending the inst
'd tuition and by hundreds Of graduate
Nv and former students who were wont
Of spend few hours at the hall on ever
nE visit to Reno and were always a
W. sured of welcome and a delightf'
'g' hour talking over old times.
on Lived in Elko
TO Prof. Brown came to Nevada ov'
sc nifty years ago from Pcterboro, Ca
hua, anu S'Atl'u oN ~ i'"''''"' '''
he went to Elko where he engaged
the undertaking business. From thei
he went to Eureka and was engage
in carpenter and mechanical work
ay the mines. and thence he went
.go Carson City as cutter in the mint
er. At the 1915 session OF the lcgislatu
de. the position OF emeritus profess
ses carrying a salary OF ElC0 month W
cd, especially created for him and he HI
for devoted some Of his time since IN,
re. as instructor In the woodshop In &
A. mechanical department.
md -Four Children Survive
ind Surviving him arc widow, &
sons. Richard Jr, and Boyd Of Rem