Evening star., 1934-12-30
Colored Messenger at Library
Of Congress Learns Chinese
Rises to Trusted Post
After Chance Wins
Him Position.
Primer Provides First
Tips on Language
When Sorting Books.
BY JAMES WALDO FAwCETT.

BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.
" ISITORS to the division OF
\ ! Orientalia in the Library Of
" Congress will find working
Y over the great collection Of
books and manuscripts accu-
mulated there a tall colored man OF
military bearing and scholarly man.
ner who learned the difficult Chinese
language while employed merely as
messenger and now is an assistant to
the department chief, DR.. Arthur w
Hummel His name is Berry Arm
strong Claytor. and the story Of his
rise to his present position Is one OF
exceptional human interest.
He was born at Raleigh, N. c., Of
parents who were graduates of Hamp-
ton Institute. Claytor himself took
a course in agriculture at Hampton
but his hope to study medicine at
Cornell failed.
A minor position in the documents
his first employment. But before he
could adjust himself to it properly
the entrance of the United States into
the World War interfered and he
enlisted in the 351st Field Artillery
and went with that outfit to France
It was not until 1919 that he found
himself back in Washington and
again applying for place on the
Library staff.
Chance Wins Position.
Help was needed in the accessions
division. Large shipments Of books
were being received from the East,
and 4 man was wanted to unpack
and arrange them pending the return
Of DR.. Walter T. Swingle, who had
made the purchases. Chance gave
the opportunity to Clayton.
But he knew nothing of either
Chinese or Japanese. A primer on
the japanese language provided a
sketchy acquaintance with the form
and names of such characters as
had been adopted by Japan, and care
full examination of the titles of Chi
nese volumes furnished an amateur
knowledge of the designs OF the "radi-
GALS or key symbols" of the system
Of writing used in China. Fixed con-
Nntration, unfaltering memory and
tuous physical labor were demanded
fo4 the task. but in the end Claytor
managed to organize a degree of har-
mony in the photographic chaos.
Then. DR.. Swingle, coming back
from the East and seeing his pur-
chases regimented in neat array on
convenient shelves, expressed his sur
prised appreciation by requesting that
his unknown aide be transferred to
the Orientalia deck, as it was called
in that period of its development.
Originally, the only person employed
there, Claytor has witnessed the
growth of the department to full
division status. The collection now
Is regarded as the largest and most
complete Oriental library outside the
Orient. It contains nearly zoo, ZOO
volumes, and the shelf listing of ap-
proximately half of the total number
has been Claytor's routine duty
through the past II years.
Studies During Leisure.
Meanwhile, he has devoted his lei.
sure to the study of Eastern languages
literature and history. Enormously
complex and intricate as these sub
jects are. he has gone far toward
mastering them. Yet he says: ST
know only a little-a mere drop in
the ocean as compared with what !
still have to learn"
Speaking Chinese. he believes, will
be possible only when he can 1ive-for
a year or two exclusively in the COM
pany Of people who have no other
language. He wishes to go to China
for that purpose, and his superiors
in the Library would be glad If he
were to have such an opportunity.
Claytor just now is especially in
terested in Chinese family law. He
has an LIB. degree from Howard
University-acquired by attending
night school-and Is preparing COM
narrative study of Chinese with Eng.