Evening star., 1937-01-03

SELDEN MARVIN ELY.
backward" Humorously he thus COM
ments upon his official retirement
from his school duties: "Yes, I shall
be graduating with this semester's
class. So far. all Of my life, I have
been handicapped more or less by
youth; now feel that I can start
forth and really grow up"
Persistent questioning elucidated
the several enterprises connected with
his present varied fields of endeavor
are challenging his attention.
In connection with the embarass-
ment which his always youthful ap-
pearance often caused him early in
his career, he recalls with amusement
his great chagrin when, during his
first teaching assignment at the Van
Buren, School. an assistant superin-
tendent visiting the building inquired,
Where is the teacher of that seventh
grade? I only saw what looked like
pink-cheeked boy in charge Of the
class"
This pink boy. because Of
the exceptional ability which he DEM
onstrated in this first post in our pub
lie school system, was destined four
years later, in 1895. to be promoted to
the principalship Of the Van Buren,
and its annex buildings. In this ca
pacity he served until 1908, when he
was selected for advancement to the
administrative and advisory position
from which he is now about to retire
with the laurel wreaths of accom-
plishment thick upon his brow. but
with the magic touch of youth still
about him and the pink of his cheeks
only deepened into ruddier hue by his
years Of service for our community.
One Colorfui Interlude.
Only once from 1891 until the pres
ent has the continuity of Mr.. Ely's
distinguished service for our schools
been broken in upon. This was for .
cOlorful interlude of from May to
November 1894, when. at the solici-
tation of Dr. A. H. Wilmer, the local
trustee Of his school division, he was
given q leave of absence and detailed
to serve as an aid to Lieut.. Maury
Nichols upon the Kiowa. Comanche
and Wichita Indian Agency at Ana
darko, Okla In this capacity his
services were of a varied nAture,
ranging from chief clerk to acting
Indian agent.
That I'VE are the sum of our FORE
bears" is we'll exemplified in Mr. Ely's
case. He was born at Ashburn, LOU
doun County, Va, January 8. 1867,
of family that was of New England
descent and had removed from New
York State to the milder climate of
the Old Dominion. Mr.. Ely's mother,
Sarah McHenry Ely, pressed into
teaching service for the community
because of her superior qualities and
fine educational background, became
one of the best-known teachers in
Loudoun County. His father. John
Selden Ely, a member Of the local
school board. was appointed to the
postmastership at Ashburn, Va. in
his 10th year. from which he re-
signed at "a to take trip to the
Chicago Worlds Fair A sister Esther
Griffin Ely, has just retired as regis
trar of Union College. New York.
from the vicinity of which Mr. Ely's
parents removed to establish their
home in Virginia.
Mr.. Ely's family is also directly
descended from Richard Ely, the or
iginal forebear in America, IS Of
whose descendants. including Mr..
Ely's own son Marvin. have been
graduates of Yale, one of whose found
ers and early trustees was Rev. Will
liam Ely. Statira Esther Griffin, Mr..
Ely's grandmother on his mothers
side, at the age of three score and
ten compiled the family's genealogy
and lived to see her brother president
of Williams College.
With such background it was
almost inevitable that Mr.. Ely should
combine with his chosen profession
Of teaching a helpful spirit of CO.
operation with his fellow men and
women for the furtherance of those
ideals which have to do with char
acter building and civic betterment.
Extracts such as those which follow,
many of which are quoted from ad-
dresses made before church. civic, pa
triotic and educational groups, as pre-
viously cited in the columns of The
Star, show the nature of Mr.. Elys
philosophy of life, as they are the key
notes to his endeavors. THE hosts
Of the school must lead on together"
"The duty of the teacher is to seek
out and lead the child to see the
truth" "The prime necessity for
good school is a teacher hungry to
teach and pupils hungry to learn"
Ever learning, we shall never be quite
able to reach full knowledge Of the
truth" "Americanism stands for the
survival and leadership Of the fittest.
but it also means. what is even more
significant, that all should be fit, be-
cause all have or must have a chance
to be ft." Our schools are the serv-
ice stations of the Republic"
For many years an active member
Of the National Educational Associa-
tion, Mr.. Ely has served as delegate
to numerous national conventions and
has twice been elected one of its vice
presidents.
Federal School Mems Club.
A charter member of the Federal
School Mems Club, composed OF the
leading school ofncials in the District
Of Columbia and nearby Virginia and
Maryland, he was for several years q
member of its board of managers. In
its formative year Mr.. Ely was presi-
dent Of the first Principals Association
Of the District Of Columbia and was
for the constitutional period q vice
president of the District Of Columbia
Parent-Teacher Association. He has
also served as president of the Emery
lexington Parent Teacher Association.
To Mr.. Ely has been intrusted the
tremendous responsibility Of preparing
numerous courses Of study, notably the
1914 course Of study in history and
the 1881 course of study in English.