greatly excelled. Whereupon Rooseveltyou remember he had brown curly hair — arose and declared, very forcibly, that he did not agree with the instructor. At once the whole section 'Wooded up', with much laughter. And Professor D joined in it. Roosevelt was by no means dismayed, but, now with his smile, stuck to his point. 'I'm right in my view, just the same.' Then he sat down."

From a classmate's letter I quote: "I was with Roosevelt in a Rhetoric section. Just who the instructor was I cannot say. But I remember that it was always difficult to get any definite statement out of him, on any subject. One day Roosevelt tried. I remember distinctly his vain efforts to get a 'Yes' or 'No' in reply to his question. Perhaps so brief a reply could not have been given. At any rate, Roosevelt did not get it. And I recall distinctly his characteristic and unconcealed gesture of impatience and disgust as he settled back in his seat."

From another source I have an illustration of the same unquenchable spirit. Roosevelt engaged in a public debate at the Harvard Union, then situated on Main Street, near Central Square. What the topic of debate was I do not know. But Roosevelt's side lost, as adjudged by the referee

committee. He acquiesced cheerfully in their decision, and at the close of the meeting, going up to the two opponents and shaking hands cordially, he congratulated them on their good work. Then he added firmly, "But we had the right of the question, for all that."

CHAPTER IV

MORE COLLEGE DAYS

During the three or four years after Roosevelt's graduation, his character underwent great changes. But through the four years of his college course he remained substantially the same, except for the steady, normal acquisition of knowledge and development of character which would be expected of any collegian.

When he came to college his family forbears and social background were not unknown to various members of the Freshman class, and he was welcomed as a man eligible to all the social advantages at Cambridge which his position implied. In Roosevelt's college days there were, roughly speaking, some forty societies among the students. How far Roosevelt sought admission to these organizations and how much he was sought for, I cannot say. Not only was he a "desirable", but he certainly would have applied for admission, if he had desired it, at any door where such application was

proper.

Accordingly he became a member of thirteen

of the forty societies, some of these being the Institute, Hasty Pudding, Porcellian, Rifle Club, Glee Club (Associate Member), Art Club, D. K. Society, Finance Club, Athletic Association, and Natural History Society. In addition he was an editor of the Harvard Advocate during his Senior year; and as already mentioned - he was made a Phi Beta Kappa man.

In these various clubs he fulfilled his duties acceptably and often with distinction. Perhaps among them all, the one where he was least adequate was the Porcellian. I was not of Porcellian timber myself, and have no first-hand knowledge of the matter. But from a friend, a college mate, I gather that the serious and almost austere young Knickerbocker did not find the aims and methods of that social group very much to his liking. Nor in turn was he felt to be, by his fellow members, an enthusiastic sympathizer in their club life. There was nothing seriously out of joint in his membership, but he did not care much for the frivolities of ordinary group-conversation, and he drew a very strict line of restraint for himself in all matters convivial.

The group of which he was most vitally a part in college was undoubtedly his dining club. A group of eight men it was, as originally formed in the Freshman year, and later a group of six. The club