The Hill School

“What! know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” — 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20.

Birthday verse given to William by his mother, when he was about

eight years old, which became the keynote of his life. THE glory of The Hill School when William entered it as a lad of fourteen was not its assembly-hall and library, its gymnasium or athletic fields. Much of the splendid equipment of to-day had not yet come into existence. But the school had reached highwater mark in the last decade of the life of its great head master. What he was among his boys, four hundred of whom overflowed class-rooms and dining-hall, may be judged from the inscription on the simple marble that marks his resting-place in the ivy-covered cloister of the chapel:

JOHN ‘MEIGS
STRONG, IMPETUOUS, TENDER,
SERVANT OF CHRIST
MASTER OF BOYS
MAKER OF MEN
HIS COURAGE WAS THE FOUNDATION OF THE SCHOOL

HIS PASSION FOR TRUTH ITS LIGHT “sg abnd aonf OL punoisyovq Ul eSINOd J[OS pue ploy [1eqyOoy ‘spunoi3 [OOYOY oyy SUIMOYS MoIA ouL|doIEV

“‘VINVATASNNGd ‘NMOLSLLOd ‘IOOHOS ITIH FHL
ff

ae
- a f =
a a ie Va: a ° = ws cs
yA oe rom
cal wos Py of
to oe + need
- ail,. +e
, a oF ase So
Se Sa an: oy
WS;

=
i
Ss

; a

S
y
4 Pa
.
Je
7 pre
; v”
mn Mi ae sae
7” al
Ps
x ‘aca?
Me
— ved a
‘
jn >; nigy th fond
vs a
me; ad — — ay 4 oa
*: &
we = = oF
‘* Obstacles are the glory of life’, was one of his
sayings, and no slackness or shirking was tolerated
at “The Hill’. ‘‘ Prompt, alert, indefatigable
himself, he demanded the same of all about him”’,
and masters as well as boys awoke under his influence to a new, stimulating realization of what
they could accomplish. There was a buoyancy, a
spirit of energetic enthusiasm that was contagious,
as a head master wrote who had once been on the
faculty of The Hill.

Everybody was systematically yet happily busy. There seemed to be never an idle minute. And the background of the picture was equally satisfying — a combination of perfectly-kept equipment and quiet appointments, bespeaking good breeding, artistic taste and culture. Through it all appeared a seriousness of purpose, not obtrusive yet hardly concealed by the various devices for interesting the boys in the realities of life.... Whether in the genial, comfortable air of the dining-room, amid the varied activity of the athletic field, or in the more rarefied atmosphere of the schoolroom-chapel, there was the same heartiness and stimulus, physical, intellectual and spiritual, and the centre of it all, the animating spirit of this city on the hill was ‘“‘ Professor”... Its ideals were his ideals and its system was the device of his genius for making those ideals practical and applying them to the everyday problems of life.*

There was, under the influence of Dr. Meigs, a splendid insistence upon the sanctity of the body, “its reverent, radiant uses”. With all his power he sought to make his boys understand that the strength of noblest manhood is built on purity, and that impurity is weakness and shame. “Self-reverence, self-knowledge, self-control”, he believed

1 From The Master of the Hill, by Walter Russell Bowie, from which further quotations are made in this chapter.

with Tennyson, “lead life to sovereign power”. But he was far from trusting in moral training alone to develop the all-round manhood he had in view. A pencilled memorandum gives some of his deeper thoughts in this connection.

The school must educate, develop, guide and instruct that spiritual faculty which, by whatever name we call it, is supreme. There is no other restraining power [than religion]. Sympathy, the innate horror of doing wrong to a fellow creature; self-respect, the innate horror of doing wrong to ourselves, are real powers in all finer natures. But a restraining power is needed.... The problem of school morality will be solved by a religious motive or none.

Coming from a great educator this statement is notable, and the way in which he and his colleagues acted upon it gave a character all its own to The Hill School. The religion which John Meigs led the boys to understand and seek after was no artificial piousness; “‘ it was a deep and manly and straightforward choice of Christ as pattern and Master and Lord”. In this connection he noted:

As with the aspiring athlete and the eager learner, so must it be with the young Christian. He must be taught to study the great Book of rules for daily living; to seek his great Captain in difficulty, and to ask for guidance in prayer; to heed the coach who has gained wisdom and victory in his longer game of life; and to share counsels, joy and confidences in brotherly meetings for prayer. He must realise that the test of his religious life is what he is and what he does when he is not on his knees in prayer, not reading his Bible, not listening to great preachers and not participating in religious meetings.

About the Sunday services of the school there was the same naturalness and appeal to the boy “‘ where he lives’. Distinguished preachers came for the regular ‘‘ Chapel”, but the characteristic thing was the Vesper Hour, when hymns were sung and the man who knew and understood them best would sometimes speak and always pray. One of his boys wrote:

The real picture of the Professor, which always comes clear and distinct from memories of the old school-days, is as he sat at his desk in the schoolroom of a Sunday evening at the song service, and the hymn I always associate with him is “Ein Feste Burg”.... That is what he looked and what he was — a firm, strong, kindly, helpful citadel. There seemed to be something in the Professor’s face as he came down the aisle at the close of those song services on Sunday nights that I never quite caught at any other time, a something words will not tell.

And there were other things Hill boys could never forget, among them the Professor’s utter sincerity and truthfulness and his hatred of everything mean and underhand. They remember that he never stole upon them unawares, but that “‘ always his

heavy footfall — every ounce of his great frame telling at each step — resounded through the corridors as he approached; and in the memory of that sound they find their most vivid impression of what is meant by the hatred of sham, subterfuge and unfairness”’.

“Truth-speaking and truth-loving”’, he considered, ‘‘ the very bedrock of character ’’, and with these he classed obedience, which in his thought stood for “willing conformity to the right standards of the school, which all must accept who accept its life’; obedience not so much to rules as to “‘ the high majesty of accepted duty”. On this point he could have “no refusal and no evasion”. To the father of a boy about to be expelled he wrote:

His vital and fatal lack is that of obedience. He has so indulged himself that self-pleasing is the law of his life, and deference to a higher law seems repugnant. Your... experience will reinforce my position touching the vital necessity of submission to law as the primal condition of moral as well as physical life and well-being.

Dr. Meigs was keenly alive also to the importance of organised games and athletics, on account of the moral training they afford and their contribution to purity of life. He was fortunate in having secured the services of Michael F. Sweeney, the holder when he came to The Hill, and for years afterwards, of the world’s record for the high jump. A member of the faculty tells us that —

He became not only the physical director of the gymnasium and track-work but also the coach and controlling spirit of all the organised games in the school. Between him and the head master there was a sympathy and understanding which grew into the most loving identity of purpose, and into all his relationships with the boys... Mr. Sweeney brought not only his technical skill but the power of a Christian idealism which left its deep impress on the spirit of many a lad who would hardly have been reached through any other channel.

Borden had come to the great school well grounded in the principles. for which it stood. Sincerity and truthfulness were part of his character; one could never think of him in connection with any sham. There was so little self-consciousness about him, or morbid craving for appreciation, that one who knew him most intimately could say:

In all the years I was in close touch with him, I never saw him do one thing for effect.

A school friend, while he spoke of William as “a sturdy fighter”, recalled also his “reserve and dignity and steady, quiet strengt”. Outwardly he was undemonstrative, but his home letters reveal the same warm-hearted, earnest, impetuous boy as

of yore.
Sept. 27, 1902.

Dear Morner — To-day is the first time since I left Boston that we have seen the blue sky or sunshine. It has been raining steady since the evening I arrived until yesterday evening. I like the school very much, all the old fellows are nice to the new fellows, asking us to come and see them in their rooms, etc.

My room is in the east wing, second floor, number 4. My roommate is a very nice fellow, a little older than I am, and two or three inches taller.... A great many of the old fellows here knew John [his elder brother], most of them are sixth formers. All the old teachers are very nice to me and they seem very jolly, especially Mr. Rolfe, Mr. Hallock and Mr. Weed whom I suppose you met....

I like Professor and Mrs. John very much from what I have seen of them so far. Many parents came down with the fellows the first day, and even some sisters. Our room is very nice; it has two large windows looking out on the quadrangle. Under the sill of each is a small window-seat which could be made quite nice if they had cushions and pillows on them... -

I am taking football for exercise and I am now trying for the second team, but I don’t think there is much chance of my making it.

Last night they had the first meeting of the Y.M.C.A. Throop Wilder is President and John Holabird is Vice-President. The meeting was great! Throop spoke first, and then a good many of the old fellows got up and spoke. Dwight Meigs led in prayer, and then other fellows gave short prayers.

This year there are more new fellows than ever, and Professor had to turn away some because he couldn’t accommodate them. I sit at Mr. Weed’s end of the fifthform table, which is right at the end of Mrs. John’s table.*

Give my love to Granny and everybody and tell them I expect to write soon. — Your loving son, WILLIAM.

Oct. 4, 1902.

Dear Sis — I received your letter yesterday and thank you for it very much. As my roommate gets about three letters every mail, I like to get one once in a while.

Talk about work — I have six studies, Chemistry, English History, French, Greek, English and Bible History. The Eng. Comp. is fierce. We have to make a literal translation of parts of Virgil or Caesar, and in class change this into idiomatic English. Then again we have to write on the character of people in the Sir Roger de Coverley papers, in the style of Steele.

We have had two Y.M.C.A. meetings, at one of which Boyd Edwards, who was at Northfield, spoke. I have joined it, also my “wife”.? Throop Wilder is fine, he is Pres. of Y.M.C.A. and of the Athletic Association.

I am out trying for the second team, it is pretty hard work. There are a great many Chicago fellows here. ...

Hoping you will write soon again. — I am, Your loving brother, BIL.

I haven’t been homesick a bit.

Oct. 26, 1902.

Dear FatHER — Mother says you are working over the plans of our Camden house day and night. I haven’t

1 There were two Mrs. Meigs, beloved of the Hill School — one the mother of the Professor, who for many years had been the mainspring of its life, and the other “* Mrs. John” who came to it as his bride in the fall of 1882. Of the value of her contribution to the school it would be difficult to speak adequately. ‘ That which, joined to the influence of John Meigs himself,” wrote his biographer, ‘‘ more than any other thing set the tone and created the spirit of The Hill was the touch of Mrs. Meigs upon the boys. In the lovely ‘sky-parlour’, up in the tower of the old stone building of the head master’s house, with its wide windows looking out over the tranquil trees, many a boy in his talks with her has caught the gleam of new meanings for his life, going down to the school again with the

power of finer purpose in his soul.”
2 His roommate, Eugene Delarno.

noticed any pictures of summer houses in the magazines. Harry Widener is the son of the man who owns that house you liked so much. You remember we were looking at it in a magazine at Camden last summer....

We have had three football games so far. The first two were with the Haverford Grammar School and Princeton Freshmen, the score in each game was 0 to 0. The third game was a perfect cinch for us, the score being 41 to 0 in favour of Hill. Only one goal was missed. Monday [to-morrow] the annual interclass track will be held, Iam going into the shot-put. It is a handicap meet, so I will have a little show but not much.

I wish you would get me a shot gun and give it me for my birthday, so that I could have it down here and shoot a little, so that I could go hunting at Christmas vacation. I will put an account of my expenses up to the present time in here.

With lots of love. — Your son, WILLIAM. Football supplies $3-20 Class paper. $1:90 Stamps.. $0-10 Posters.. 1:05 Clothes -. 1:00 Hill banner 50 Contribution. -50 Epp’s (t.e. tuck) ‘30 Thumb Tacks. 09 Clothes pressed 1-00 Paper. ot Arh O2 Cntlare. 6, i’s 10 Eatables. - -20 Stamps 4 ‘10 Soda. ig te 15 Screw Driver. “14 Epp’s. 3. ‘45 Pillow: ie s(t, Book-rack - 20 Contribution. 1-00 Reading-room fee 1-00 Picture wire -20 Window cushions 9:98 Epp’s.. - “85

Contribution. 65
$25-68
Oct. 26, 1902.

Dear Motner — Last Saturday we only danced for a little while and all sat around on the floor and sang songs. I liked it much more than dancing and hope we will do it again.... I suppose you are waiting until Nov. 1 [his birthday] to send down anything, but when you do I wish you would send plenty of fruit and cake; and we can have jam, so I wish you would throw in a few glasses of different kinds of jelly, which help along the sandwiches we have

daily at 11.45. Mr. Speery was here to-day and preached, he was fine.

1 Dr. Robert E. Speer.

He seems to have changed a great deal, his voice is terribly

deep bass. I will have to stop now as the Prep bell for bed has rung. With lots of love, WILLIAM.

Jan. 18, 1903.

Dear Motner — We have had good weather lately, and today is simply fine. The sky is clear and cloudless. The air is cool and bracing. I intend to take a long walk this afternoon with some fellows.

About my examinations. I passed Algebra easy enough, and got a 100 in it I think. But I did not pass Geometry. However, Mr. Shephard let me go into the class, and I will try again to pass it Monday and he will help me, sort of tutoring and I hope to pass it to-morrow. I took an exam. in Lorna Doone and the result was rather surprising. I got 95 in it. There wasn’t a single mistake in spelling or punctuation in the whole thing, and he had not made a single mark of correction anywhere. It was quite long, taking me nearly two hours of steady writing.

I have a terribly hard time in studying now, in fact I scarcely do anything but study. Study at night, every spare minute from the time I get up until school begins. Then at the recesses. After lunch I have about an hour and a half spare time. Then I have to prepare my lessons for the afternoon session, and then begin the same program again after supper.

Feb. 2, 1908.

Dear MotHER — You say you like my hard work, well I don’t think you would if you knew how terrible it is. I work every little spare minute that I have, almost, and when Saturday comes you’re just about played out and don’t get a decent rest before it begins again the next week. And then if you get a “‘ third list ’’ after working so terribly hard it makes you feel sort of discouraged. Our English is the worst stuff imaginable. It is Carlyle’s Essay on Burns. Why it is something awful! You can’t make head or tail out of it, and it takes about two hours’ hard study to know anything about it at all.

We look forward to getting through with this term and scratch off a day on the calendar every day. There are now about eight weeks left of toil and drudgery. The weather here is awful too, one day it’s summer and the next winter, first rain and then snow, etc.

I am losing weight quite fast now under Mr. Sweeney’s work. I have lost 4 lbs. and lose about 3 lbs. a week. I will soon be a skeleton, won’t I! But I guess it won’t matter much.... Yours with lots of love, WILLIAM.

Mar. 1, 1908.

Dear MotuEer — lI was very glad to get your letter as I had not had one for almost a week.

This evening we had a fine recital by Leland T. Powers of Boston. He gave Monsieur Beaucaire and was simply great. He is wonderful the way in which he can change his voice and expression from that of a woman to that of a man inaninstant. You wouldn’t think it possible he could change his appearance so much as he does by simply mussing up his hair, or some other little thing like that. After giving M. Beaucaire he gave a short and very funny thing about some old country parson and other country people. This simply kept us roaring all the time.

Mr. Speer was here today and preached both this morning and afternoon. Many of the fellows here criticize him, and one of the teachers. But I don’t think they know what they are talking about, and it makes me sore to hear them.

I am getting to like Mr. Rolfe more and more all the time. He is simply great. Always happy and cheery, never harsh or gruff except when he has to stop fellows from rough-housing, and even then he is nice and makes a joke out of it or does something else....

Just think only three weeks more of study. If I escape exams. I might be able to leave here Tuesday afternoon or evening, March 24th. My, but won’t I be glad when I get out of here! I tell you it will be a relief to get away from the toil and grind of this place for a little while at least.

You must tell me about Johnny and everything you can about J, Teddy, and anything that is going on at home.

With lots of love to everyone, — Your loving son,

WILLIAM.

Mar 8, 1903.

Dear Moturr — I was awfully glad to hear from you twice this week.

About my coming home and my vacation, I am not in for any exams. so far, and I think I am safe for this last week. Now ifIcan possibly manage by toil and labour and grinding to keép out for two weeks more, then I will be safe. Just think Mother, exams. begin the 24th of this month, and I hope to be able to leave that night, getting to Chicago the next evening! Only sixteen more days and I may be out of this awful working place, and the winter term will be over. You can never appreciate how terrible this winter term is. As for the length of my vacation, it will be just three weeks I think.

That he realized his hope is evident from the following letter:

My pEar Mr. BorpEN — I am very happy to congratulate you on William’s excellent record for the past term and to inform you that he is one of twenty members of the school who have been excused from all of their examinations. — Faithfully yours, JoHN MEiIas.

March 81st, 1908.

The summer term brought new and varied experiences. To his mother he wrote:

April 17, 1903.

The trees here have quite large leaves and fruit trees are in full bloom. Everything is fine and I think this term will pass pretty quick. ‘

I want you to write me as often as possible and give me all the news about everything you possibly can. Sometimes I feel like punching the fellow’s head who sits in the mail window and says, ‘“‘ Nothing for Borden”’, three times a day for sometimes three and four days in succession! Tell me about the doings of John, Mary and Baby, etc.

April 20, 1903.

Dear Moruer — The weather continues simply fine here; beautiful warm sunshiny days, everything blooming as if it were midsummer..

We have lots of fun now, playing outdoor games, baseball, track, ete. The Gun Club shooting is good fun and I have improved greatly since last term. If I keep on improving I might have some chance of making the Gun Team. and I will certainly work hard for it.

My studies will be pretty hard this term I think. But I can manage to get along all right, so you needn’t worry. This last week I got two seconds and five firsts in subjects.

I came very near forgetting to tell you about the sermon on Sunday. Campbell Morgan was here and preached a fine sermon in the morning, which was said to be the best ever given here. It certainly was fine. It was on Mark 1.11 and 6.3. “Thou art my beloved son in whom I am well pleased”’, and, “Is not this the carpenter”; man’s view and God’s view. Mr. Morgan demonstrated that it must have been the eighteen years of Christ’s life of which we know nothing, save that he was a carpenter, in which he had pleased God. Then he went on to meditate on how much good an apprentice of His would have gotten. He said he did not think Christ would have talked of heaven or hell, but would have simply given him an example to follow, by His every-day life in which there was no blemish.

Some of the fellows thought it was a little long, but I did not and wanted more. It was wonderful, the way he held everyone spellbound by his talk. For five or ten minutes no one would stir while he talked, then as if to relieve the strain he would change his tone. Then the people would shift their positions slightly and settle down again and so on. It certainly was fine and I hope he comes again.

June 14, 1908.

Dear MoruEr — lI got your letter from Camden and was glad to hear from you.

Now Commencement is all over and we have begun work again, at least what’s left of us. For there are only fifth and sixth formers here now.... On Tuesday morning the swimming contests were held. Our team was scratch in the relay-race, and we got second place.

In the afternoon, it being clear, the inter-class track meet was held. It was very close and exciting throughout. The sixth form won with 43 points, we were second with 40.... The next morning the drill was held on the field. It was not very hot and hence the drill did not seem very bad. Our company did not drill very well and so we did not get the prize. Right after the drill, the closing exercises were held in the gym. Prizes were given out and also gold medals.... Eugene got three prizes of books for exeellence in Latin, Greek and Bible History. I got one in Geom. I am seventeenth in the school, twelfth on second honour list and seventh in our form.

Lunch right after that was simply great. Only one table was left in, to serve stuff from, and everybody stood up. There was salmon, chicken croquettes, two or three kinds of salad, sandwiches, bouillion and everything. About half a dozen different desserts. I took a liberal portion of everything and came very near regretting it.

November 22, 1908.

Dear MotuER — It seems a perfect age since I had any communication with the outside world. We have been to Lawrenceville, and our team got beaten by a score of six to five. It seems awfully queer — the feeling that football is over. It seems unnatural, as if something had come to an end. But I will tell you about our trip to Lawrenceville.

I was taken with the team as a sub. We left here Friday afternoon and got to Trenton about 8.00. We went to the Trenton House for the night. It is an awfully old affair, must have been there in Washington’s time. The hall-ways were a regular labyrinth, and we walked a terrible way before finding our rooms. In the morning after breakfast Mr. Sweeney gave us a talk in one of the fellows’ rooms. I never knew what he was like before. He was wonderful. He talked to us for about an hour on all points in football, and especially “‘ fighting’. I’m sure he thrilled every fellow, he did me I know.

After lunch we went out to Lawrenceville. The game was at 2 o’clock. Their team outweighed ours nearly twenty pounds to the man, but that didn’t keep our fellows from fighting just as hard. Lawrenceville teams usually have weight, while ours have Hill spirit. In the first half no scoring was done, and the ball was in their territory most of the time. In the second half we scored a touchdown. Our man was so tired that he missed the goal, which really lost us the game. Then with only a few minutes left to play, the teams lined up again. Their weight told now and they pushed us down to about our ten yard line. We held them and punted out. They came on again, were held again; and then came on and crossed the line. They kicked the goal, making the score 6to 5. It was mighty hard for our fellows to lose like that, and they all felt mighty badly over it. They played simply fine and nobody has any kick coming.

I hope to be home in less than three weeks from now. Not very long, is it? I’ll be mighty glad to get home and see you. I’m going to work these next two weeks, and then maybe I won’t have any third week here. — Your loving son,

WILLIAM.

After the Christmas vacation:
January 31, 1904.

Dear Motuer — We have been having pretty good weather here and lots of snow. Yesterday we hired a bobsled and went coasting out here on a hill and had pretty good fun. The sled was an enormous one and held nine or ten.

A Dr. was here to-day to preach, he was very sad. In the morning he read a thing he called the first chapter of the Ephesians, but it wasn’t out of the Bible and was as different as you could imagine. Then his sermon wasn’t any good and was without a point. In the afternoon he didn’t even try to preach a Christian sermon but gave us one from a Confucianist in Japan. He has spent about twenty years in Japan and is quite an authority on it. This was about some fool and a class of fools, and the point was “What we had come into the world for”. It was better I thought than his morning attempt, but nothing much at that. He is a teacher or something at the Union Theological Seminary. Gene thinks it the best in the country, and says practically everyone goes there to prepare for the ministry. I disagreed, and he said his grandfather had founded it. I then said that it had probably changed a great deal’since that time. That man getting up there and reading his text out of some book which didn’t resemble a Bible in any way, just made me tired and fixed him for me. I thought how bad things are getting to be.

I don’t know whether I told you about Mr. Weed or not, but anyway he was off nearly two weeks. His mother was expected to die any moment, but she didn’t and has now recovered. As a result he is feeling mighty happy and thankful. In Bible Class tonight he read about the miracle of the wine at the marriage feast. Then he said that it was the modern idea that the man who believed in miracles was way behind the times. But he said things would happen in our lives so that we would have to believe in them. He said, “‘ I have seen miracles within the last two weeks and believe in them.” It was good that, after some of Dr. — ’s trash. I know you think the same way, and it makes me tired to hear all this talk against the old beliefs.

Mr. Weed is going to put the lights out in just a minute and I will have to say good night. — Your loving son,

WILLIAM.

Happily for the boy’s faith he was well-grounded in the Word of God, so that anything that seemed to him contrary to the truth awoke an energetic reaction in his soul. Looking back on these and similar experiences, he wrote to the Committee of the Chicago Avenue Church some years later:

I am very thankful for the teaching I received at the Moody Church and Institute before I was fifteen years of age, because it kept me firm in my beliefs in spite of opposition and criticism which I was not able to answer. The great truths of the deity of Christ, His vicarious atonement, and the inspiration and authority of the Bible had been indelibly impressed upon me. I was specially impressed by the testimony of our Lord Himself to this last matter, and was willing to wait until I could go to Seminary and be prepared to meet the critics on their own ground. Hoping that the good work may go on and that many may be won to Christ and strengthened in the faith as I was. — I remain, Very sincerely yours, Witiiam W. BorDEN.

Debates, orations and the Class dance were absorbing as spring came again, not to speak of the war news from the Far East.

February 3, 1904. 3;

Dear Motner — I have heard from both Mary and Marjorie and each says she can come. Mary said Miss Kellogg would chaperon her. It was the first I knew about such a thing and it might have made trouble. But it is all right, and I am all fixed now except to order more flowers for Miss Kellogg.

We have to get two sets of flowers, one for the dance on Friday night and the other for the show on Saturday night. I have ordered violets and bridesmaid roses to the amount of six dollars. Then we have to have a rig to go riding in, dramatic-club seats, etc., besides the fourteen dollars I spoke of in my last letter... -

Gene delivered his oration the other night, and it went off very well. In fact, all the orations so far have been remarkably good, and it’s up to us who come later to do as well. As I have told you, mine comes Friday, the second speaker. I get scared off and on by spells.

I am very much interested in watching this war between Russia and Japan, and I suppose you must be. We rush over to the reading room after breakfast for a glimpse at the morning papers before going to study. The newsboy who sells papers here in the evening does a flourishing business, and you have to hustle to get one. Japan seems to be doing the Russians up on the sea.... I should think you might write to Huntingdon Wilson for news, although it would be rather old by the time it reached here.

The remaining letters for the year are missing — save one, which gives.a last impression of Borden at The Hill. He graduated in 1904, receiving a grade of 83:6; standing fourth in a form of forty-eight boys of whom he was the youngest.

February 21, 1904.

Dear Motner — This morning we had Communion Service in the (new) chapel at eight o’clock. Mr. Speer and Dr. Cuthbert Hall conducted and it was very nice. Of course attendance was not compulsary; only a few were theres ..33

The Dedication Service was very good. Mr. Speer and Dr. Hall both made addresses.

It is after lights now, and I will have to say, Good-bye. — Your loving son, WILLIAM.