Page:A History of the University of Chicago by Thomas Wakefield Goodspeed.djvu/226

 196 A HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO and March, 1891, this flood of applications rolled in upon him. Perhaps it would be more exact to say the flood began to roll in upon him. For it continued without interruption for the following eighteen months. It was then a new experience for the young President-elect. On March 28, 1891, he wrote to Mr. Gates: I am beginning to become worried on account of the immense number of applications that are coming in, backed by leading men, applications which I am, in the bottom of my soul, confident are in most cases utterly worthless, yet with the commendations of leading men When the day of settle- ment of claims comes, some people are going to be terribly disappointed. The assurance which characterizes some of the applicants is amazing, and also the grounds urged by those who present the claims. While for the most part the applications for positions on the faculty reflected only honor on those who made them, there were some, as well as some recommendations of applicants, which illus- trated Dr. Harper's complaints and other things besides. Some of the men recommended were so evidently and eminently desirable that one wonders how the President could have rejected them. One of the most distinguished teachers in the country commended one young man in this fashion : He is a man whom I have greatly admired ever since his graduation. He has traveled much and has acquired an exquisite scholarship. I know nobody of his years working in whose future I could so assuredly prophecy. He is a man who cannot fail. Singularly noble and gentlemanly in character, he wins everybody who comes near him. He is so lucid, so easy, so unpre- tentious, and his learning is so solid. There is but one opinion about him here. The eulogiums of his students were declared to be so enthusiastic as to be ''almost comical." And yet this paragon among teachers President Harper did not want! Of another it was said: "It is stated to me that he reads seventeen languages." Even this num- ber did not seem to be enough to awaken the President's interest. Of another, the following most creditable things were said: "He is always scrupulously neat and clean in personal habits and dress, and is elegant in manners and a good conversationalist." Although, as has been said, the great mass of the personal appli- cations were admirable in spirit and tone, reflecting only honor on those who made them, there were naturally enough some among