The Washington times., 1933-03-27

many boys of his own age,
ideas and form friendships th
So, on that day Of days that
had been so long in contem-
plation, our neighbors, Mr.. and
Mrs Rogers. took Edmund, and
with Franklin we set out. the
six of us, for Groton School,
where he was to spend the next
four years Of his life. And when
school opened the next morn
ing we turned over to the head.
master there a white-faced lit
tie boy whose pride kept him
from admitting that he carried
a heavy heart, and whose par
ents found the parting no easier
to bear.
Liked DOrmitOry Room
Often during the days that
followed our trip to Groton
where we had left Franklin dry
eyed and reSolute. if a little
tremulous, I thought of him
sitting quite alone for the first
time in the tiny cubicle which
for the next four years he was
to call home. However, my con-
Germ over his reaction to the
severity of his new surround
ings was entirely wasted, for he
reveled in the simplicity of his
dormitory room. His bed. chair,
and bureau were his castle, and
no feudal lord was ever prouder
to have anything for his own.
His road, I realized, would be
none too easy to travel, for most
of the boys in the form he en-
tered had already been at
school for two years. During
that time it was only natural
that they should have chosen
their friends, found their special
interests, and might easily re-
gard a new boy as a good deal
of an interloper. Franklin, I
understand, was never aware
that he had any obstacle to
overcome in that direction. He
had, even then, a spontaneous
smile that was completely dis
arming, all the more so be-
cause it broke unexpectedly
free of the shyness against which
he had waged an unsuccessful
fight since early childhood. It
was no time at all, I am told,
after he was thrown with the
boys of his own age that his
timidity went out like ice in a
spring flood. Almost overnight
he became sociable and gregari-
GUS and entered with the frank
est enjoyment into every kind
Of school activity.
Interested in Games
Whether he excelled at what
he tackled or whether he met
with Indifferent success had
little or no influence upon his
enthusiasm for the project. He
had a hearty interest in all
sorts of games. but did not play
any Of them conspicuously well.
He went out for football, base
ball, and track, but did not,
I believe, make the first teams.
I know that he became man
ager of the baseball team, which
seemed a very high-sounding
position to uninformed view,
but, from what my grand
children tell me, it is an ig-
nominious chore which con-
sists principally of taking charge
of the uniforms, getting out
early on the ball field to mark
off the necessary white lines
with the paint machine. and
exhorting the players to do
their best-knowing full well
that they place no value on
the managers opinion.
He did very we'll at his
studies, but was far from being
a prodigy. He had his little
triumphs when, as a member of
the defeating team, his side
won; but he had his failures,
too. And what ambitious sub
jects those youngsters under
took to settle! One time the
discussion hinged on whether
capital punishment should be
abolished. At another they
argued the advisability of in
creaSing the United States
Navy. On the third occasion
they fought bitterly over
whether the United States and
England could be expected to