September U l y s s e s S y l v e s t e r C o n n P a r t I I

Transcription

1 Archival Minute September 2015 U l y s s e s S y l v e s t e r C o n n P a r t I I At the conclusion of the previous Archival Minute on the life of U. S. Conn he had taken the position of Superintendent of Schools in Columbus and was about to become President of the new State Normal School at Wayne. His time in Columbus was more or less passed over. My original plan was to begin this part with the opening of the State Normal at Wayne and look at Conn s presidency, concluding with his retirement and death. However, I decided to back track a bit and take a closer look at his time in Columbus before moving on to his presidency (and doing that over two or perhaps even three --installments). U. S. Conn at Columbus U. S. Conn, 1916 The August 21, 1907 Columbus Journal reported how Conn was chosen for the position of Superintendent: At a special meeting of the board of education last Saturday evening Prof. E. B. Sherman was released by the board in order to permit him to accept the appointment of superintendent of the Boy s Industrial school at Kearney, tendered him by Governor Sheldon. This action was not taken until after the situation had been gone over very carefully, as the best interests of the Columbus schools were to be considered. After the motion to release Prof. Sherman has prevailed, the selection of his successor was taken up, Wayne State College - U.S. Conn Library Marcus Schlichter, Archivist

2 P a g e 2 A r c h i v a l M i n u t e and from the list of applicants Prof. U. S. Conn of the Fremont Normal faculty was chosen, at a salary of $1,350 [equivalent to approximately $35,000 today]. Prof. Conn s recommendations were first class and such that carried great weight with the board. We don t know why Conn chose to leave Fremont and take this position at Columbus. There doesn t appear to have been any situation at the Fremont Normal at the time, e.g. problems with the administration or a budget crisis, that would account for his wanting (or being forced) to leave. Perhaps he wanted to move from teaching to administration or the salary was better. We can only speculate. Columbus High School, circa 1910 Professional Activities We know that while in Columbus he continued to be active in teachers institutes in the area as well as state and national teachers associations. He regularly attended professional conferences. For example, the Omaha Daily Bee reported on February 23, 1908 that Superintendent U. S. Conn was among school men of Nebraska [who] left today for Washington, D.C. to attend the department of superintendence [sic] meeting of the National Educational association [sic] to be held in that city February 24 to 28. (One of the highlights of that trip, by the way, was their meeting with President Theodore Roosevelt in the White House.)

3 P a g e 3 S E P T E M B E R In April 1908 U. S. Conn spoke at the North Nebraska Teachers Association convention held in Norfolk. It was a very large gathering. The Norfolk Weekly News-Journal of April 10, 1908 reported that [f]ive hundred bona fide teachers had registered by Friday afternoon. The newspaper included quotes from Conn s speech entitled Problems and Progress in Our School System. It s somewhat unclear whether these were isolated quotes strung together by the newspaper or one continuous quote. The placement of quotation marks seems to indicate that the latter may be the case. On the one hand, all the quotes do not seem to flow together smoothly. This is how the paper printed the account of the speech: Many difficult problems are not problems at all, urged Mr. Conn. Teachers like merchants should take an invoice to see what they are doing, how their plans are being carried out. We have reached the place where there seems no limit to what may be done. But the advancement to be made in the next generation depends largely on the work of the teacher of today. The fads of a few years ago are necessities. Agriculture, which would have been hooted at a few years ago, is taught. The farmers have the conveniences. He has become a business man. Mental, manual and moral training should be taught. They are as necessary as the three R s. The average amount of education that most of the boys and girls receive is not more than five years. Conn was also often asked to judge high school contests and speak at commencements. One instance of this came in May 1908 when he served as one of three judges for the annual contest of the Nebraska High School Declamatory Union held in Norfolk (Coincidently, Professor J. M. Pile was one of the other judges). Other Activities Conn was also active in civic and faith-related matters. In a column detailing various Y.M.C.A activities appearing in The Columbus Journal on January 26, 1910, it s stated that:

4 P a g e 4 A r c h i v a l M i n u t e Professor U. S. Conn will speak at the Men s meeting Sunday Jan. 30th on the relation of habit to education. This address will be especially helpful to fathers and all who are interested in the proper education of our youth. All men are cordially invited to the meeting which begins at 4 p.m. Letters to the Editor The Columbus Journal published a letter from U. S. Conn on October 14, In the letter Conn encourages that parents seriously consider enrolling their young children in kindergarten: Every child who is now five years old, or will be five years old by January 1, should be in one of the kindergartens. The training received in the various games, hand work, sense training, word and sound drill toward the end of the year is an indispensable preparation for the work of the first grade. Pupils who have the kindergarten work always surpass those who have not had it, not only in the first grade but in the grades that follow. All children who are of proper age should start now, in order that they may have the advantage of as much of this foundation work as possible. Very truly, U. S. Conn, Supt. A couple months later (December 16, 1908) he wrote to clarify the Compulsory Education Law: There seems to be a misunderstanding in regard to the requirements of the compulsory attendance law in the minds of some. Sub-division XVI of the school law requires that all pupils residing in city districts who are over seven years of age and under sixteen shall attend school every day in the year school is in session. The only exemption is for those who attend some private or approved parochial school. Those who are over fourteen are also exempt, if they can show satisfactorily to proper authority that some one [sic] is dependent directly upon them for support. It is made the duty of the board of education and the superintendent as their executive officer to enforce this requirement. There is a fine of not less than five dollars, nor more than twentyfive dollars for violation of the provisions of this act. The superintendent and board are governed by the sworn statement found in the census report

5 P a g e 5 S E P T E M B E R as to ages, and also by the teacher s daily record of attendance. If any criticism is due, it is certainly in being too lax in the enforcement of the law rather than too severe. It is almost beyond comprehension any way, as to why any parent will stand in the way of his own child and prevent him from getting the education and preparations for life, which is due him. Yet in the enforcement of the above mentioned law we have found a number of just such cases. The school officials do not wish to bring any hardship upon any one. All we mean to do in the matter is what we feel to be our legal and moral duty. Very respectfully, U.S. Conn, Supt. From Superintendent to President On March 30, 1910 The Columbus Journal reported on a special meeting of the board of education to elect teachers for the upcoming year. Listed were U. S. Conn for Superintendent at a salary of $1,600 per year and Mrs. U. S. Conn, domestic science, manual training and algebra at a salary of $75 per month. In the meantime the State of Nebraska had purchased Professor James M. Pile s Nebraska Normal College in However, due to the failure of the legislature to appropriate funding for the operation of the school, there was a delay in the state s taking over control of the school. On May 19, 1910 The Wayne Herald reported that while it had been expected the school would be run as a state normal after September 1 of that year, it may not actually happen until June However, while there was uncertainty concerning when the state would take control of the normal, news of the person most likely to be the first president had leaked months before even before the above announcement of Conn s continuation as Columbus Superintendent in The Columbus Journal. The Valentine Democrat (Valentine, Nebraska) reported on December 9, 1909: It is stated upon good authority that Prof. U. S. Conn, of Columbus, is slated to become president of the Wayne normal school after its purchase by the state. Conn was an instructor in the college for thirteen years [sic]. Dr. Kent Blaser, in his book Far from Normal, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the founding of Wayne State College, states that [i]ndicative of the uncertainty of the position Conn was one of only two applicants for the job. He was in a difficult position as he could not resign his position in Columbus until that uncertainty had cleared.

6 P a g e 6 A r c h i v a l M i n u t e (By the way, The Valentine Democrat also reported that [t]he purchase of the college by the state will figure in the Wayne city election next spring on the saloon question and will aid the prohibitionists. All other towns in the state, where state normal are located, are dry. This turned out to be an accurate prediction as will be discussed later.) In its May 5, 1910 edition, The Wayne Herald reported that Professor Conn, who was elected president of the school when it is taken over by the state, took supper at the College Saturday. Prof. Conn was one of the most intimate friends of the founder of this school and his election as president pleases us all. A week later, the newspaper stated At the meeting of the State Normal Board held Tuesday H. H. Hahn of Blair, was elected to be dean of the college of education at the Wayne Normal, and President Conn was instructed to discuss with the citizens of Wayne the time for taking over the school by the State. The State will have no money to run this institution until after the legislature makes an appropriation. View of Columbus the Nebraska High School, Normal College circa 1910 campus about the time of its sale to the State In spite of the continued delay in legislative action and while still Superintendent of Columbus Schools, U. S. Conn did come to Wayne to speak to groups about the Wayne Normal. On May 13 he spoke at the Wayne Commercial Club s annual smoker and banquet attended by 200. The Wayne Herald (May 19, 1910) published this account:

7 P a g e 7 S E P T E M B E R President Conn had been asked to speak on the Normal School; its relation to Wayne and Wayne s relation to it; the opportunities and possibilities. He said that he and his wife were very glad to return to Wayne, that it was the only place that really seemed like home to them, and was sure that the association of the future would be far more congenial and pleasant than even those of the past had been. As to the time of the state taking over the school, there was nothing definite but he should say not later than a year from the coming June. He declared that the outlook for a successful state normal here was better than at any other school in the state, owing to the splendid territory from which to draw students and the needs to be supplied in the way of teachers in this part of the state. He pointed out the unfailing demand to be made upon the school and the benefits derived in the way of expenditure of appropriations and salaries of faculties, and the increase in population and social conditions to be derived by such an institution in our midst. He reminded our people that the same united and harmonious effort that had made it possible to secure the school would be needed to carry it forward to the grand success that it should attain. His address was a good one from all points of view, interspersed with anecdote and apt illustration. In its July 13, 1910 edition, The Columbus Journal noted that it then appeared certain that the Wayne Normal would be opening in the fall and that Conn would resign as Superintendent soon: It is now practically settled that superintendent U. S. Conn will place his resignation as head of the city schools with the board of education in the near future. Advices from Lincoln are that the board intends to open the Wayne normal, of which Mr. Conn was elected president, this fall instead of next, and are making all preparations to that end. While this was thought to be the outcome of the matter, nothing definite was known until the board decided regarding the new normal. Superintendent Conn, writing to friends in this city, forecasted such a decision, by the normal board, but when the letter was wrote [sic] he knew nothing official. He is in Boston at present attending the National Education association, and it is probable that when he receives the notification of the action of the normal board he will at once forward his resignation to this city and ask to be released. About the same time (July 14) The Wayne Herald published a story, Open Wayne Normal This Fall. The newspaper explained that the State Attorney General had issued an opinion that the balance of the $90,000 allocated for the purchase of Pile s Nebraska Normal College not yet spent (about $20,000), in the attorney general s words, is not only authorized to be used but should be used by the board for the running and maintenance of a state normal school in order to carry out the provisions of the act.

8 P a g e 8 A r c h i v a l M i n u t e The newspaper went on to say: The auditor and the state treasurer both concur in the opinion as rendered by the attorney general. Secretary Ludden yesterday notified Mrs. Pile and the Wayne Commercial Club that the board of education would open the Wayne normal school September 19, The balance of the appropriation, about $20,000, will care for the school until the next meeting of the legislature. Governor Shallenberger has also expresses his approval of the action of the board in opening of the school. The board will meet July 27 at Peru for the purpose of electing the rest of the faculty and completing the details of the work in opening of the school. The opening date set, U. S. Conn took the step of resigning his position in Columbus. On July 27 The Columbus Journal reported: Superintendent of schools U. S. Conn, the new president of the Wayne Normal, has forwarded his resignation to the board of education, and at a special meeting held last Monday night it was accepted. This action on the part of Superintendent Conn had been anticipated for some time, and after the board had taken action they requested the committee on teachers to sift the list of applicants and present names at the regular meeting next Monday night. Conn came to Wayne in August to becom[e] acquainted with the needs of the institution as reported by The Wayne Herald (August 10, 1910). The paper added that Conn is justly enthusiastic over the prospect for the college. The Wayne Herald carried a story, Normal Opens Next Monday, on September 15, 1910 in which it highly praised U. S. Conn: President U. S. Conn who has been placed at the head of the school, is one of the best school men in Nebraska. His experience as an educator covers all phases of school work, which combined with his broad scholarship and practical business training, eminently qualifies him to carry on the great work begun by Prof. J. M. Pile nearly twenty years ago. The story quotes Conn who paid tribute to the work and legacy of James Pile: The State Normal school of Wayne is not a new school. Its foundation was laid nineteen years ago by that great educational leader, Prof. J. M. Pile, who established the Nebraska Normal College. In this school thousands of young men and young women have been enrolled and prepared for their life s work. The school has grown from a mere handful of students to an annual enrollment of over a thousand. It developed strictly on its own merits and stands today

9 P a g e 9 S E P T E M B E R as a monument to the energy and wisdom of its founder and leader. On the death of President Pile, the state bought the school and hereafter it will be known as the State Normal School of Wayne, and will be conducted in all respects as the other state normal schools of Nebraska. All the strong features of the old school will be preserved and many new ones will be added. The course have been greatly strengthened, and the faculty has been increased in order to meet the requirements of the state school. Professor James M. Pile, founder of the Nebraska Normal College The October 6, 1910 Wayne Herald gave an account of the first convocation address given by President Conn the previous Thursday morning. The subject was that of Habit. The speaker showed that habit is not merely negative, as has been frequently indicated, but rather an active, vital force in every life. A bad habit is as a living enemy, tearing the character to pieces, a good habit a beneficent food co-operating with every good choice the person may make, a refuge in times of disaster and trouble. There are those who have the bad habit of fault-finding. The Kicker is a destructive force, or, at the best, merely negative. He does not help to make things better. Again, there are those who lean on others until the habit of dependence is fixed and can scarcely be broken. Some are too easily satisfied with their achievements. This state of mind produces sloth and failure. Hold a reasonable estimate of your self [sic] and a fair estimate of your surroundings. Then you will form the right habits and will be a constructive, not a destructive, person; a helper, not a hindrance.

10 P a g e 10 A r c h i v a l M i n u t e The newspaper then concludes: The students were much interested in the earnest and practical address. It reflected the helpful and sensible attitude that has characterized all the actions of President Conn since taking hold of this new institution, and which augurs well for the future of the State Normal school at Wayne. There was some criticism of Conn s leadership, however. On November 24, 1910 The Wayne Herald quoted an item that appeared in the Nebraska Liberal published at Creighton. The Creighton paper told of a Mr. C. R. Witter of Wayne who, while visiting in Creighton, had informed some of our citizens that the State management of the Normal School has been a great disappointment. The paper then spelled out more specific criticisms of the Normal. The Herald printed U. S. Conn s reply: November 21, 1910 To the Editor of the Creighton Liberal, Creighton, Nebraska Dear Sir: My [attention] has just been called to an item in your paper purporting to be an interview with Mr. C. R. Witter of this city in which he is quoted as saying that the State Normal school and its management is a disappointment to the people of Wayne because of the small attendance and because the standard of the school has been raised do that it is impossible for many to enter who have been attending here. In justice to the school and its patrons I desire to say that Mr. Witter is very much misinformed in regard to the attendance. The records show that there has never been a time in the history of the Nebraska Normal College when the attendance at this time of the year exceeded the present attendance. Judging from our correspondence I am confident that the total enrollment for the present year will equal the total yearly enrollment of any year the Nebraska Normal College ever had. The attendance is not only not very small, as reported, but it is exceptionally good when it is remembered that no one knew six weeks before the opening of the school whether the school would continue under private management, would close down or would be taken over by the state. No time whatever was given to get facts before the people. Many students had already made their plains [sic] for entering other schools yet in spite of this condition our attendance is equal to that of any other year at this time. As to the raising of the standard of the school we plead guilty. The standard is a matter fixed by law and not by management. However, we have been as liberal in construing the provisions of the law as possible, as you will find by looking on page 12 of our bulletin under the heading,

11 P a g e 11 S E P T E M B E R Who May Attend School Here. In this you will observe that anyone who has completed the eighth grade may be accommodated. There has not been a single student denied admission to this school. Mr. Witter may represent himself in regard to the Wayne Normal but he certainly doesn t represent the sentiment of this community. The State Normal School belongs to the people and it is the intention of the management to make the school serve the interests of the people to the greatest possible extent consistent with the existing laws you will give space for this statement as I feel that your readers are entitled so know what the real facts are and not be led astray by the report of any dispenser of bad news. Very respectfully, U. S. Conn, President It is true that most of the faculty and students [of the Nebraska Normal College] had begun making other plans, according to Kent Blaser, because they were not sure of when (or even if) the college would re-open under state control. This, of course, was in no way Conn s fault. He himself had to wait to turn in his resignation as Superintendent until the matter of state funding for the operation of the school was settled. Neither was he was responsible for the raising of standards (although, I think it s obvious that he saw the higher standards as a positive development). In his response Conn presents a well-reasoned defense of his management of the school and the higher standards being put into place. He also makes a very powerful statement about the school s belonging to the people and that it is the interest of the management to make the school serve the interests of the people.... It was clearly his vision to build on the strong foundation laid by James M. Pile a foundation of high quality, strong character and moral principles, hard work, and teaching excellence. Sometime ago I came across a reference to U. S. Conn being critical of students who were loafers (unfortunately, I wasn t able to locate it again for this Archival Minute or else I d give the full quote and context). He not only expected students to work hard, he lived by that principle himself as we ll see in future Archival Minutes (and by then I might be able to locate the quote). In the remainder of this installment I d like present a rather touching story involving President Conn and a faculty member, Elizabeth Kingsbury, as an example of Conn s compassion.

12 P a g e 12 A r c h i v a l M i n u t e In the Archives we have several letters written to U.S. Conn. While we don t have his part of the correspondence, references in the letters provide some insight into U.S. Conn s character. One group of letters was written by Elizabeth Kingsbury. Kingsbury had joined the faculty of the Nebraska Normal College in She was also the preceptress of South Hall. The college s dining room was on the first floor of South Hall; female students were housed on the second and third floors. She was so beloved by the students that South Hall came to be known as Kingsbury Hall, the first building on campus to bear the name of a person. Kingsbury headed the Modern Language department. While she taught French, her primarily teaching was in German (the catalog lists nine German courses, only two French). Elizabeth Kingsbury As an anti-german sentiment swept across the country during World War I, Kingsbury had to Elizabeth Kingsbury ( ) defend herself against charges of being pro- German due to the simple fact that she taught German. Many schools dropped the teaching of German at this time, including the Wayne State Normal. The catalog indicates an expansion in French (now four courses) but there were no German courses listed. Kingsbury began teaching French. (Spanish had been added at this time with this note: In view of the fact that the United States now has possessions in which the Spanish language is extensively used, such classes will be organized and such courses offered as the demand may warrant. ) On August 26, 1920, Kingsbury wrote to President Conn from Chicago where she was spending the summer. She asked the president for a leave of absence. A friend who also taught French had asked Kingsbury to accompany her on a trip to France. She saw it as a splendid chance to study.

13 P a g e 13 S E P T E M B E R She wrote Of course it is very late and if you object very much to my leaving now I will stay; but I know a charming French girl who came from France two years ago and who is here at the Maison francaise [sic] who would be willing to fill the place at Wayne for a year and who would, I know, give perfect satisfaction. Kingsbury continued by extolling the qualifications of this young woman (Marion Tamin) and concluded: Please answer at once, and whatever you decide will be all right. It s difficult to imagine such a scenario happening today: a faculty member asking for a year s leave of absence to take a trip (it might be termed a sabbatical) just a few weeks before the start of the school year (even if the said faculty member has a replacement in mind). We don t have President Conn s reply, but evidently he did not object to her taking leave to study in France and was agreeable to the arrangement as Kingsbury wrote President Conn on September 4, 1920: I sent to the Wayne Normal a box of books which Miss Tamin will wish to use and added I feel that this is the psychological moment to go to France while the franc is at half its former value. We shall sail on September 25 on the steamer St. Paul from New York City. I am going to be at my brother s [Benjamin Freeman Kingsbury who was head of the Department of Histology and Embryology at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY] until near the time of sailing. Marion Tamin, 1921 Spizzerinktum Kingsbury added in a postscript: Just received your letter. Miss Tamin will come for $200 a month. The next letter we have from Elizabeth Kingsbury to President Conn is dated February 24, It was written from Sceaux, France. She wrote:

14 P a g e 14 A r c h i v a l M i n u t e Dear President Conn: Miss Tamin has written me that she is willing to stay at Wayne during the summer term if it is desired and therefore I am writing to ask if you have an objection to that arrangement. If you prefer that I come back for the summer term, please let me know soon. I have reached the point where I can see that I am making progress in fluency and expression. It is delightful spring weather at present with songs of birds and sunshine, unusual for this time of year. Trusting that you and your family are well, I remain with kind regards and best wishes to all. Yours very sincerely, Elizabeth Kingsbury Kingsbury returned to the United States on the S.S. France, leaving Le Havre on May 28, 1921 and arriving in New York June 4, However, she did not return to Wayne. She wrote on June 11, 1921: Dear Mr. Conn: -- You have undoubtedly wondered at not hearing from me. I ve had hard luck. Posted home to Ithaca and after an examination there was sent down here [Kelly s Hospital, Baltimore] for radium treatment. I shall write again in a few days, after my return to Ithaca, but I wanted to explain my silence. Sincere regards to your family. On July 15, 1921 she wrote from her brother s home in Ithaca. In this letter she expresses her appreciation for President Conn and the support he has given her: My dear President Conn: Your good letter was a great relief to me and an incentive to try to get well or at least an encouragement. I arrive in Baltimore Tuesday morning July 19th and shall write you as soon as there is something definite to tell. Many thanks for the Spizz which I received this morning and am enjoying this afternoon. Aside from the new (and old) faces, which greatly interested me, it seems to me that the jokes

15 P a g e 15 S E P T E M B E R are unusually fresh and snappy. The large number of snap shots and the various write-ups I am greatly enjoying also. Thanking you for your good wishes and Mrs. Conn and Ardath also for theirs, and hoping I may return on time and with renewed health; believe me Yours very truly, Elizabeth Kingsbury Congratulations on the large attendance. The next letter in Elizabeth Kingsbury s file is not from her but from her brother. He wrote to President Conn on September 6, 1921: I sent you today a telegram from my sister, Miss Elizabeth Kingsbury telling of her inability to reach Wayne in time for the resumption of her teaching duties. I consider it only fair to you to add that I personally entertain grave doubts of her ability to undertake active work for some time. She had a recurrence of the tumor during her stay in France and on her return an operation at Johns Hopkins successfully relieved the symptoms which it caused. Returning here after the operation, she failed to gain weight or much in strength. She then went to Asheville N.C. where she gained weight and energy. Upon returning here again she failed to continue her gain, developing a pleurscy [sic] yesterday. The doctor attending her has put her to bed, where she should remain a week at least. I shall be glad to advise you further in a week or ten days. Yours Sincerely. B. F. Kingsbury A few days later (September 11), Elizabeth Kingsbury wrote to President Conn, obviously either not aware of the seriousness of her condition or in denial of it. The letter is evidence of her dedication and her desire to return to Wayne to resume her teaching. Dear President Conn: The pleurisy was but a slight affair fortunately, tho [sic] painful while it lasted only two days of fever. I am now up and around again and plan to be in Wayne by the end of the week. The sickness was due undoubtedly to the change from the cool mountain air of Asheville to the terribly hot weather of Baltimore.

16 P a g e 16 A r c h i v a l M i n u t e I am sorry to delay my classes a week but will be on hand for the first of next week. With regrets for bothering you and with kind regards to all. Yours very truly. Elizabeth Kingsbury The next letter in order, from Benjamin Kingsbury, is undated: Dear President Conn: -- I have long neglected to thank you for your recent letter regarding my sister Elizabeth Kingsbury. Your kind and appreciative words were deeply felt. My sister, I regret to say has been slowly but steadily failing. There is no doubt but that her troubles are due to the recurrence of the tumor growth. It is quite clear that she will never be able to teach again, unless something quite unforeseen should occur, and at least will not be able to resume teaching within the year. She does [not] yet realize the seriousness of her condition, nor that I am informing you of [her] condition Respectfully, B. F. Kingsbury On October 22 Elizabeth Kingsbury wrote a letter to President Conn. Her handwriting is barely legible, a clear indication of her deteriorating health. She wrote that she had just finished a four week stay in a sanitarium for phlebitis. She adds that although the swelling had gone, my brother and my sister thinks that in the probable case of R.R. [railroad] strike [sic] that I had better postpone going to Wayne until the end of the first term. Could the lady there stay until that time? [Underscoring in original] She evidently still did not realize or want to acknowledge the seriousness of her condition. Her strong desire to return to teaching yet remained, however. On November 29, Benjamin Kingsbury wrote to President Conn: My sister is failing rapidly, and it will be a matter of a few days or weeks at most until she passes away. She knew us Thursday, but since then she has shown no sign of recognition. She has suffered no pain for some time weeks and I do not think she has realized at any time that she would not recover. Your letter was a great comfort to her.

17 P a g e 17 S E P T E M B E R Respectfully, B. F. Kingsbury Elizabeth Kingsbury died on December 4, A memorial service was held on campus in chapel on December 9. President Conn gave the main address. In his address... he paid tribute to the earnest work, quick sympathy and noble... [a line of type evidently intended for another story was mistakenly inserted here]... woman, closing with a fine appeal to students to be loyal to the higher values of life as exemplified in her who had gone before. [The Wayne Herald, December 15, 1921] Benjamin Kingsbury wrote President Conn on December 16. In the letter he refers to a telegram he had sent Conn on December 5th informing him of his sister s passing and continues with a recounting of her funeral service and burial next to her parents in Defiance, Ohio. As the named executor in her will, he wished to discuss the disposition of her belongings still stored at the Wayne State Normal. (There are several follow up letters regarding her belongings, an inventory and a list of her writings published and unpublished in the file.) U. S. Conn, 1917 He concludes with these words for President Conn: Your very kind and appreciative attitude toward my sister, I assure you, is itself appreciated by me, and I hope I may some day [sic] have the pleasure of meeting you to express my thanks to you in person. My sister was devoted to Wayne Normal and her teaching, and it was indeed sad that she could not have lived to round out her life work there. With renewed regards and thanks, I am, Yours very truly, B. F. Kingsbury