Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-11-18
WHY NOT HARRISON DAY?
G. c. Harrison's Golden jubilee Year
at the University - Walter c.
Hamm's Death - A Free
Library Clipping Bureau
Library Clipping Bureau
by GEORGE NOX MCCAIN

HiS connection with the lnetltutl0n De8Qn
as an undergraduate.
For forty six years he has been trustee.
It p the longest and most distinguished
service Of any individual connected with the
From iSo4 to 1911 he was provost.
=. During that period he individually raised
SlO.OOo,0 900 and made marked and perma. :.
hcht improvements In the institution .
equipment
Among his notable achievements he in
.,,l,r a,nsurated the system and built the present
lie built and pail for the Engineering and
Law School Buildings.
lie secured nnd preserved all Of the
ground east of Thirty fourth street to the
uses of the University.
ana dedication Of the magnificent stadium,
overlooked.
The inception of that work was due to
:. Z. Harrison.
LIE WAS graduated in the fall OF 1862
- with the degree Of A. B.
=. standing ut the head Of his class, II was
MS honor to deliver the Greek oration at
commencement.
IN English was also awarded to him.
The degree of master Of arts was be.
slowed on him in 1865.
lie became n trustee Of the University in
"' ''ntennlai year--lS1V.
particularly effective was his work as a
trustee on the Committee on Finance during
me term OF his classmate. DR.. Pepper, as
provost.
When the latter resigned G. c. Harrison
was made acting provost and was confirmed
as provost year later in 1905.
The student register was 21SO when hs
became acting provost.
The teaching staff numbered 28S.
4. Nhen he became head Of the University
sne oaS assets of the institution were less than
On his retirement. in 1911, the student
registration in all departments was 6iOO.
and the teaching staff 500.
Meantime the assets of the University
had increased to more than ST. ,OOO, 600.
PtT that is not ALL
me acreage Of the institution had
treblcd during these evcntful fifteen years
from forty acres lie had increased il to
11I acres. W
The income producing funds had been in.
creased to S5.O0O. 900.
over 5l5,O0 books were in the library
"hrre there had been but 10000 before,
lie left the Cnversit' free Of debt in
every particular
lndrr his direction the Flower Astro.
Tcnilrai Observatory. the gymnasium, the
University ,n,v"rsity Museum. Houston Hall. Randall
Vetsrnory tS|n r"0"T"'"ry Tt inW School buildings.
STc,1lement li"ns" and the John Harrison
Laboratory of Chemistry were erected.
Dr. Harrison 5 golden jubilee should
marx on epoch in the history Of the Uni.
vers!ty OF Tcnnsylvnnia.
q, -, IL should set aside a Harrison Day"
this semester. "'
WAITER c. HAMM's will wa, probat.d
w in this city last week.
u" died in New England. where he was
born and where he first began his news.
"" was for Years the general po,itical
editor and economic writer on the phil.
d"Iphia Press
Charles Emory Smith brought him n
Philadelphia from the New York Tribune,
W.nI,o,,,. WITT" he p wa, an editorial writer under
., II" was a modest, diffdent. kindly zen.
t"man. gradual" Of Brown University
ana an exceedingly able man.
iIr was slightly deaf. which, in a measure.
added to his difiienre.
appointed Consul t" Hull. England. and
wa, subsequently transferred to Leeds.
Rather late in life he married Miss Alice
rhiIiins. Of Providence. Il. J.. a lady Of
Innri''ns Inmr E.er,son1li'y who during her resi-
Sb"o, r" y rarH nnIansph% ov. was member Of the
Mrs Hnmm died in England. and several
years ago Mr.. llamm resigned his consul.
ship and returned To this country.
WALTER G. HAMM and Talcott Wi.
", w liams had the first newspaper clipping
libraries that recall ever having seen.
That of DR.. Williams was Inr9ar r,or.
varied and hence more valuable. ''
1t is now embodied. ! believe, as part
of the regular library of Columbia Uniyer-
sty. the gift of its compiler.
Mr.. Hamm's collection, which he began in
the early eighties. was prior to his de.
parture 10 England given to Columbia Uni.
versity, / believe.
The collection was arranged in small
wooden boxes about by = by 9, by States
and Territories for politics and alphabet.
caily for econom" and statistical purposes.
and kept up to date, Mr.. Ilamm was en-.
abled to write with degree of accuracy
upon politics generally that was practically
unknown in other journals.
1t was his wide knowledge and detailed
Information that gained for the Philadelphia
Press its justly famous reputation a.
political newspaper.
TOHN ASIlURST tells me that for some
u years past the Philadelphia Public Ii.
brary has maintained 4, clipping library.
II j. not Of general scope. but IL re.
strcted to certain subjects presumably OF
interest to philadelphia.
In general clipping library all that
comes to it's mill IS grist. even such things
as pamphlets, proclamations. reports, leaf
lets, etc.
Librarian Ashurst has segregated the
latter with great success.
His pamphlet library is not only unique,
but ono Of the most complete in this coun-
try. think.
IL embraces everything in that limo that
can be obtained and upon every subject.
It Is filed and catalngued 80 thoroughly
that II Is possible for the visitor to secure
material desired with the least possible loss
Of time or effort.
Clippings on philadelGha are arranged
enthusiastically, but Il variety Of other sub.
iccts demands more complicated cataloguing.
WHY should not the Philadelphia Free
w Library. once It is established In its
magnificent new home. begin the compila.
ton OF a newspaper clipping library or de.
=" In discussing the matter with Mr.. Ash.
,,rst he expressed an open mind on the sub.
hnu