| OCR Text |
Show The Late Dr. Miller WE understand that a movement is on foot to pay special honors to the memory of the founder of St. Mark's school in this city, the Rev. George Dana Boardman Miller. What form of remembrance will be decided upon has not yet been determined, so far as we know, but we havq no doubt that it will be something fine. If each one of his former pupils were to contribute con-tribute a dollar, something wouM be secured which they would be proud of all their lives. The follow- ing tribute to him as a man and to the work he performed here, was contributed by that lady so much loved in Salt Lake, Mrs. Fidelia B. Ham- ilton: v "To some people of comparatively recent advent ad-vent into the com'ng great city of the west, the re-enforced name heading this article may carry no special import, nor awaken any memories; but to crowds of people there and elsewhere, who between the years 1875 and 1888 were children, and growing youths, a chord and echo of sympathy sym-pathy and grateful admiration will respond, with j unmistakable geniality. He was the beloved ' head-master and rector of St. Mark's schools in ' those days, which proved to be precious days of preparation for active and honorable careers, for f many who took the course prescribed by the w school. "No regard was paid to the creed or non-creed M of those who sought admission to the doors of this splendid pioneer institution of the mission I of St. Mark's. The only condition was. the nee'd and desire to learn. "All work was sanctified by the atmosphere of love and enthusiasm and hea'.thy scholarly ri- valry, in the things of the mind and the spirit which this good man Tield within his gift. r- "As the eyes of former pupils and their 1 lrlends fall upon these words, they will learn , that the faithful teacher Is dead in, St. Louis and . - i many a gentle thought will follow him into the larger life upon which he has now entered. They 4? ma: wish, indeed, to send a votive wreath to crown the urn which holds his ashes, because, J. as if to solve the problem of final purity, he had ordered the mortal body to the crematory and not o the cemetery. i "It may be said for those St. Mark's schools under Mr. Miller's care and that of his co-workers of eminent ability, Mfss Joan Van Rensallaer and Mrs. Maude Webster, that they filled a place in i the educational activities of Saltf Lake which was unique and highly important. They antedated the public school system of the state and also the schools of other religious denominations, which one after another became brave enough to enter the realm hitherto presided over exclusively by apostles and disciples of the Deseret alphabet. I It is worthy of comment even to this day that St Mark's and the schools of other colonizing churches in Zlon patriotically and unselfishly closed their doors so soon as the public schools in line with the approved educational systems opened their sessions in Utah, thus giving final proof of the sole motive governing their maintenance, namely, Christ-like devotion to the welfare of the 'army with banners,' the rising generations of the new and needy country. Neither were those mis-sionaiy mis-sionaiy schools trammelled with the proscription which is the unfortunate feature of public school administration in our fair land, for they were at liberty to begin the day by saying the Lord's prayer, the Ten Commandments and to hear other words of the Lord of Light from His blessed Bible. In that respect they were far in advance of us in this era of religious public (public school) neutrality. "Memory's eye can see the good master on- j tering the assembly hall of old St. Marks, wearing i his white" surplice, prayer book in hand, to read for the uplifting of those eager young "spirits a few sacred words, to join in a song or an orison and tribute of gratitude to the Saviour of the world, as though in humble and holy consecration consecra-tion of all the powers and labors of the day. Noble ideals of the restraints, of deverence and reverence were those fostered and developed in the young immortals. "The watchword of the busy school was engraved en-graved upon the wall in large characters, 'Eise Quam Vldere,' 'To be rather than to seem.' To b greater teacher is to be great indeed. It is enough for me to recall that gleaming period In the life of our faithful friend. "When his chief, the good Bishop Tuttle, went away to become the bishop of Missouri, the far cry caire back over the Wasatch for some who loved him to follow, and that is why Mr. Miller fulfilled a later work of moment and died in St. Louis. One year ago, through failing health, he resigned his pastorate of St. Augus'ine, maintained main-tained the able editorship of the Diossesan Magazine, Mag-azine, without a waver in his incisive, trenchant style, until the other day, the pen dropped from the stilled hand." |
