Evening star., 1937-04-10
BY PHILIP C. JESSUP.

hOCt.
BY PHILIP C. JESSUP.
About 1885 little boy stood outside
the door of the home Of his father,
the professor of mathematics at Ham,
ilton College in Clinton, N. Y. Gen.
John J. Knox rode up and asked the
little boy to hold his horse. When
he came out the general gave So
cent piece-the largest piece of money
the boy had ever seen-to Elihu Root.
A group of college undergraduates
in the 1860s were riding on the Utica
coach when the horses backed into
ditch and upset the coach. One boys
leg was broken and the others carried
him to Slocum's Tavern, resort for
the rough gang which worked on the
Chenango Canal The tavern folk
refused aid and the students carried
the injured boy to the nearest farm.
Then Elihu Root and his college
mates returned land broke every
damned window in Slocum's Tavern"
An embarrassed young instructor
about 1870 finished his lecture on
American history to the little class
of girls IN Miss Green's School, at
No. l Fifth avenue, New York City.
He backed, blushing, toward the door,
as was his won't reached behind him
for the handle, opened it, disappeared
and closed the door behind him. There
vas a delighted gasp from the schol-
ars, for the instructor had reached
for the wrong door and had let him.
self into q closet The minutes
passed while the girls eyes were
riveted on the door. At long last it
opened and, with crimson face, Elihu
Root dashed out and through the
proper door into the hall.
Made Record Bass Catch.
In the season of 1882 the record
catch of bass at the Squibnocket Club
on Marthas Vineyard was seven fish,
aggregating 81 pounds-caught by
Elihu Root.
Shortly after 1900 q Secretary of
War vigorously entered the fight to
build the Nations Capital in con-
tormity with the plans originally laid
down by Maj. IEnfant when he was
consulted by George Washington. 1t
was still to be q long struggle, but
the pegs were then driven in by Elihu
Root
In 1905 q man who, as Secretary
OF War, had created the general staff
of the Army, laid the foundations for
American Colonial policy and who was
prominently considered for the presi-
dency of the United States, shed tears
of sheer emotion as he came back into
Theodore Roosevelt's cabinet as Secre-
tary of State. The man was Elihu
Root.
In the New York State Constitu-
tional Convention of 1915, when the
chaplain failed to appear at a MORN
ing session, the president OF the con-
vention stepped to the front of the
rostrum and delivered the opening
prayer:
Almighty God, we pray to Thee to
guide our deliberations this day. Make
lis humble, sincere, devoted to the
public service. Make us wise, consid-
crate of the feelings and the opinions
and the rights of others. Make us
effective and useful for the advance
ment of the cause of peace and justice
and liberty in the world. For Christs
sake, amen"
That was Elihu Root.
Carnegie Unit Director.
Over many years, in the meetings
of the boards which guide the des-
TIMES of such institutions as the New
York Public Library, the Metropolitan
Museum Of Art, Hamilton College and
three of the great endowments estab-
hshed by Andrew Carnegie for the
promotion of international peace, of
scientific research and Of philanthropic
and educational progress, man with
straight bang of whitish hair was
accustomed to listen to varying exposi-
tions Of views and then, with authori-
tative calmness, clarity and wisdom,
suggest the action which might we'll
be taken. That was Elihu Root.
In the 1930s, an erect figure, despite
his IS years, clad in tweed cape e-coat,
walked through the gardens and woods
OF an informal country place on q
hillside overlooking the Valley of the
Mohawk, with expert eye directing
the planting and the pruning of trees.
That was Elihu Root.
Born on the campus Of small COL
1eee, is years before the outbreak of
the Civil War, Elihu Root grew up
with heritage of New England an
oestry and sturdy pioneer stock. His
earliest recollections were of his
grandfather's farm, where he used to
play on the floor of the kitchen with
witch made of weighted corn
stslk-the only toy he had.
His father, known affectionately to
generations of Hamilton College stu
dents as Cube" Root, was, in the
Judgment Of Andrew D. White, zone
OF the pioneers of American science.
whose modesty alone stood in the way
Of his fame" An able mathematician
Prof. Root loved even more the STUDY
OF geology and made the first impor-
tant collection of minerals of upper
New York State. He exchanged speci-
mems with all parts of the world.
Young Elihu used to trudge around
after him with basket, collecting
specimens Of flowers and shrubs to
plant in the wild garden" at the
back OF the house. From his father
he learned the mathematical habit
Of mind and love of the beautiful.
Dominant in Family.
Prof. Root was always the dom
1nant figure in the family. Very, very
quiet he was, yet neither his wife
nor his sons would ever do anything
before him which they knew would
call forth his disapproval. He hardly
ever reprimanded. 1t was not neces-
sary, for it was felt without being
said. That he rarely showed emotion
was sometimes construed to mean that
he was cold. The truth was that
having no discoverable ego, he shrauk