Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-04
A TRIBUTE TO DR.. GUMMERE
Alert, Keen Scholar and CHARMING
Gentleman, Writes A. Edward
Newton

To the Editor Of the Evening Public
Ledger!
Sir-"Gummere is dead!" kent
repeating these words to myself yester-
day afternoon as walked across the
beautiful campus of Haverford College
after the simple service over the remains
of my dear old friend.
"Gummere is dead!'' wonder how
many people in Philadelphia understand
that one of its most distinguished citi-
zens--in some respects it's most dis
tinguished citiZen-has passed away,
for Gummere was reared and spent the
greater part Of his life at Haverford,
on the main line Of the Pennsylvania
Railroad. and the main line of the
Pennsylvania Railroad is just as much
Philadelphia as Spruce street.
"Gummere is dead 7" That alert,
keen. intelligent scholar and charming
eentleman-we shall never see him
again: but we shall never forget him.
IL has been my privilege to live on terms
of intimacy with a good many college
professors Felix Schelling. of Pennsyl-
vania, have known for more than thirty
years Osgood, the head of the English
department at Princeton, count as one
of my warmest friends; and Tinker,
"dear old Tink," the idol of Yale-have
we not walked each others legs off book
hunting in London? There are lot be-
side, but all English scholars were ac-
customed to doff their hats to Gummere.
Gummere was in class by himself {;
or, IL not quite by himself, there was
only one other man in It, Kittredge, OF
Harvard. Sometimes when Gummere
forgot himself and showed what wealth
of learning was concealed beneath his
customary modesty, we, at the club,
used to say to him, Come, come! Gum
mere. You are not Kittredge, you
know" How he would laugh! A week
or ten days ago I was in Boston and
lunched with Kittredgc at the Club
of Odd Volumes" in Mt. Vernon street,
and 7 told him this story. Did you
ever know more wonderful man!' he
said. and, OF course, I never did.
What was his subject at Haverford!
1t was literature, of course, but what IL
literature il it is not life? The love OF
literature cannot be taught; the mis-
tnke so many scholars make is in trying
to teach it. As in the old adage, 'one
can lead horse to water yet can't
make him drink" SO it is with litera-
ture. The best that one can do Is
spread the table bountifully and say.
'iDinner is served" suggesting per-
hans wise sequence Of dishes and the
wines that best go with each. This was
Gummere's plan.
What a range he had. Sometime ago
one of the trustees. or board of COVER
nors. or oyerseers, or whatever they cal
themselves, out at Haverford. con
valescing from long illness. sent to the
library for some novels when he dis
covered to his surprise that the college
library contained very little fiction. He
sent for Gummere and said. 81 have
sent my check to the librarian and
want the money spent in buying nc .
tion-good stuff, you know. the sort OF
novels that last" Gummere told me
the story himself and he told me. too
of the novels that he bought. 'All my
fayorite authors" he said. reeling oil
A list which might have led you to be-
lieye that he was the most inveterat'
novel reader that ever lived, riVahng
the late John G.. johnson or my old
friend Judge Sulzberger.
And he has gone. Gummere has
gone, have referred to his friendly
rivalry with Kittredgc. In another re
spect the Gummerc family impinge upon
n Boston tradition. Boston has its
Adamses we have our Gummeres.