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Passed To His Reward

Passed To His Reward image Passed To His Reward image
Parent Issue
Day
22
Month
December
Year
1897
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Alike are Ufe and death, Wheti life in death survives. And the uninterrupted breath luspires a lliousuml Iive8. Tlius wrote the poet Longfellonr of Charles Sumner, and the thought so finely expressed in rythmic words, is applicable to the grand life thathas just gone out in our midst. Although the spirit of Walter S. Perry has passed out of it's earthly tabernacle, yet it lives on in the huudreds and thousands of lives that it has come hito such familiar contact with, and which it has helped to start out in the paths of correct thinking and right living. It was not a shock to the community when it was announced, on Thursday last, that Prof. Perry had succumbed to the reaper Death on the evening previous, Dec. 15, at half past 8 o'clock, and passed to lus reward. He had been failing for a long time, and nothing but liis indomitable will had retained the breath of life in bis human frame. He was flrst attacked by the disease that inally resulted in bis death, nearly one' year ago. His health failed him, and in company with Mrs. Perry he went to a resort on the Gulf of Mexico, where rest, and quiet, and balmy air, gradually helped rebuild his physical powers so that he carne home after a few weeks, and partially resurned his duties toward the end of the year. After the close of school his summer was passed in the pure and bracing atniosphere of Les Chenaux Islands at the north extremity of Lake Huron. He feit so strong that when the school year opened last f all, he was in his place again, performing his duties. But the constant strain and nerve-destroying labora of upwards of a third of a century needed more time and longer rest in which to repair the ravages upon his system. After a little he fell ill again and continued to grow vvorse until tlie end caine. Walter S. Perry was boni at Elk Creek, Otsego Co., Ñ. Y., and had lived 66 years and a half. His early life was similar to that of many another American lad who liad the world before him, with little to aid but his willing hands and persistent head. He first attended the Normal School in Ypsilanti, with the iclea always in his mind of becoming a teacher. After graduating there in 1856 he taught for a year or so, and theii carne to the University and received bis A. B. diploma with the class of 1861, which class is quite fainous for the prominence many of its members liave since attained. In 1871 the university conferred upon him the degree of A. M. After graduatiug at the University he at once took up the life of a teacher. From 1861 to 1S63 he was dent of the Marshall schools, then for tliree years at Cold water, during one of wbich he edited the Coldwater Republican, and the year oí '67 was spent as C.ounty Superintendent of Schools of Branch county. (an office that was created by the legislature at that time and was abolished sonie five or six years later, and which has more recently assumed forin agaiu in what is now known as the County Commissioner of Schools). The following year, 1868, he went to Toledo, Ohio, as principal of the High School, remaining for one year, when he was elected president of the college at Prairie du Chien, Wis. There he remained until 1871, at which time he commenced his duties as Superintendent of the Ann Arbor Schools, where his life's work has since been, aglory to himself, for under his guidance Ann Arbor's schools have become known throughout the length and breadth of the nation, and the pride of the most thoroughly cultured state of the Union. In the year 1863 Prof. Perry was united in marriage with Miss Emma Blackman, nf Museatine, Iowa, andthey have four children, Paul, who is now on the Dalton Trail in Alaska, on the road to the Klondike, (and who eonld not have leamed of liis father's illness),; Kniest B., who is superintendent of the Industrial vvorks at BayCity; and the two younger children Waker and Mabel, at home. Prof. Perry's life work is a proud monument. He is dead, and yet he lives in the minds and liearta of thousanda, and there is searoely a state in this broad Union in which there will not be moistened eyes when tlie notice of liis death is read. Pure and spotless in bis private life, always sympathizing with the unfortunate, he stood ready to lend his influence in any catfse tliat had the uplifting of his fellow man for an object. As a good citizen, he was a peer of the best; as a christian, he practiced what Clirist tanght, and loved hisneighbor as himself; as a man, he stood proudly in the front ranks, with the best of his fellow men. His epitaph ! who will write it? May not these familiar words be appropriate: "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of the Lord." Or these from Wliittier: "Such was our friend. Formed on the good old plan, A trne, and brave and downright honestman. His daily prayer, fur better understood In acts than words. was always doing good So calm. so constant was his rectitude, That by his loss alone we know its worth. And feel how true a man has wallted with u. on earth." SERVICES AT THE CHÜRCH. The rernains of Prof. Perry laid in Istate at the Oongregational church Saturday, from 10 a. m. to 1 o'clock p. m., and were viewed by hundreds who had known and honored the man in life. During which time appropriate music was played on the organ. The decorations were very tasty, being the work of the teachers. The school children furnished a great mass of flowers with whicli the casket was adorned. The school board and teachers sent a floral blanket, the school children a bank of hyacinths. Every class and organization of the high school, and every department of every school of the city, including the parochial school of St. Thomas Church, was represented in the floral offerings. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. J. W. Bradshaw, commencing at2:30p. m. The honorary pall bearers were the members of the school board together with the deacons of the Congregational church, of which the deceased had always been a member. The active pall bearers were the teachers at the high school, Messrs. Pattengill, AVines, Chute, Jocelyn, Springer and Montgomery. The services were very impressïve. Mr. McClellan presided at the organ, a quartet choir rendered "One Sweetly SolemnThought," after whicliDr. Brad(Continued on 4th Page') PASSED Tfl HIS REWARD. (Continued trom lst page.) liaw read appropriate selections from lie scriptures, which was followed by a oio "Forever with tlie Lord," rendered by Mrs. R. H. Kenipf. The remarles of Dr. Bradshaw carne rom a heart moved by deep feeliug. After reviewing the life work of Prof. 'erry he paid such a tribute to bis character aud true worth as a mau and christian as could only come from the deptlis of affection of one friend for another. Tlieu the choir rendered Die hytnn "Asleep in Jesús," and tho funeral cortege took up its march to Forest Hill Cemetery, vvhere the burial was private. The general impression which had in some way got abroad that the services at the church were to be private also, kept many away who would have otherwise been present. At the Congregational church Sunday morning the services were a memorial for Prof. Perry. Prof. M. L. D' Ooge spoke of the life and character of the deceased and his services to the church ; Prof. C. E. Goddard spoke of his work in the Sunday School ; Judge Waples told of his life as one deacons of the church ; and Kev. Dr. Bradshaw gave an account of bis life as a worthy member of the church, and a humane, noble follower of the teachings of Christ. ACTION OF THE HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI. The following resolutions were adopted by the Alumni Association and former teachers and pupils of the Ann Arbor High School : "Wiiereas, In the ordering of an Allwise Providence, our beloved teacher, associate and friend, Prof. Walter S. Perry, has been taken from us by death, therefore, Resolved, That we enter upou record the following minute as expressing in some degree our deep sense of personal bereavement and public loss: "Superintendent Perry has been at the head of the public schools of this city for a period of twenty-seven years, being at the time of liis decease the oldest superintendent in continuous service in the state. "During this period Mr. Perry has guided the affairs of the schools with great patience and wisdom, exhibiting in his intercourse with fellow teachers and pupils alike a truly christian spirit of kindness and gentleness, and devoting himself unsparingly to the discharge of his duties and to the welfare of those under his infiuence. "We mourn in lus departure the teacher who always held up before his pupils the ideal of a noble manhood and wouianhood, the man of spotless and exemplary lite, who furnished a model of pure and beautiful character worthy of imitation; the friend, who stood ready at all times to assist us by hi8 counsel and to aid us in every worthy endeavor; the public-spirited citizen, who took the side of every righteous cause and gave his help to every good work. , "In his death we have lost a beloved friend and associate, and the community and the state have lost a man who was a blessed and potential forcé in promoting the interests of sound education and of the purest morality. Resolved, That a copy of this minute be sent to the bereaved family of Mr. Perry with the assurance of our deep sympatliy with them in the great sorrow that has come upon them. Martin L. D'Ooge, J. M. Gelston, Pres. Maky Ella Bexnett, Sect'y. ACTION OF THE HUMANE SOCIETY. At a meeting of the Humane Society, held at Harris Hall, on Saturday, Dec. 19, at 3 o'clock p. m., the following memorial of the late Prof. W. S. Perry was adopted and spread upon the records of the organization : Prof. W. S. Perry has passed away and will Oo longer guide us by his wise counsel and inspire our meetings vvith the high sense of the duties, which, as members of this humane organization, we owe to the community. As superintendent of our public schools, for over a quarter of a century, Prof. Perry did much to raise the standard of the Ann Arbor schools, untiljunder his guidance and direction, they rank as among the very first in the nation, as evidenced by the large number of students who annually attend to I pare for tlip Michigan uní other versities and colleges. He was himself the product of t lie Bplendid systetn of education which is justly the pride and ever t lio boastoí the peoplepf Michigan. He graduated from the State Normal and the üniversity, and u hile a student in these institulinns, from whirli he recéived all the honors they liad tocoufer, he displayed those qualitiea of heart and miiid which made hiui the power for rood that he was in the world, conscientiously discharging every duty, deriving his greatest satisfaction from the good he could do others. His training in the State Normal and the Üniversity eminently fitted him for the high and responsible positions which he was called on to fill iu this aud other states iu educational works, leaving his work only to bid farwell to earth. His deep interest in everything that tended to the public welfare induced him to identiíy himself with the humane work of this organization. He was one of the first to join in a cali for a public meeting to organize this society. He presided at this meeting, and havinggiven much thoughtand attention to the subject, was able to start the work of the orgauizatiou in a manner to nuike it accouiplish the greatest good. As chairman of the execulive coinmittee, which planned aud dirëcted the general work of the society, he devoted much time aud effort, aud to his work in this responsible positiou is due, in a large degree, the successful work of the eutire organization. As a member of the educatioual coinmittee, he was quick to see that uo more important lessou could be taught iu the public schools than that of mercy audkiudness. When, without his solicitation or influence, the hearty co-operatiou of the members of the board of education and the teachers of all the schools was secured, the huuiaue work was introduced iuto the schools of the city, without iu any manner iuterferiug with their regular work, Prof. Perry was most helpful aud assisted iu advanciug the work wherever and whenever he could, giving time to this worl which in justice to himself ought to have been devoted to rest aud freedom from care. A li.e suoli as liis, diOTWied to the goed of otliers, aeer bas tUme for rest uatüll its fhial repotse, which convoy alas, hut too eooa. As mernlbers olí thfe society, we ackmiom-ille'dge the lasttag benefit which we have derived frottm our close aad intimiate PélatianB wibli Prof.' Perry, in, the humane woirk oí our organiza, tion and shia.ll ever hold his na.me in grtíbeiñil amd appreciative remémbrame. The Secretiary is hereby directed tv present to the familliy od Prof. Perry a euitabie oopy oí this tokaa of our regard and esteera af our la.te friend Lnt ro-tvorker. Wm. N. Bbown, N. W. Cheever, Committee. A commj;tee bas been appointed by tihe High School Almmiiu Associ. tian, consisting oí 'Messrs. J. E. Benl, G. F. Allmieaidilngior, J. V. Bheehan, Mire. J. T. SumdeTtamd, Miss Alice Por. ter and Aflhs Eranua. Bower to formulalte plans íot tlia1 establishment of ,a FellwvBhip in honor of Prof. Per.

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Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Courier