CHAPTER X
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
The Ingrams lived not far from the steel mills in one of two woodenhouses, each two stories in height, which Reuben Harris and James Ingramhad built for their families, when they began in a modest way tomanufacture steel. As Reuben Harris grew rich he moved his family intoa beautiful home in the fashionable part of the city, and good societyaccepted them as their equals.
The large family and small income of James Ingram forced him to continuehis residence in the same brown house near the steel mills. The Ingramfamily kept much to their English ways and knew little or nothing ofsociety. The English and Germans cling tenaciously to their old habitsand customs which they carry across seas and over mountains. Generationsmust elapse before it will be safe to predict what the national type ofan American citizen will be. One discovers on the British Isles themixture of centuries of European blood which has developed a virility ofbody and brain that dominates the globe. "More honor to be a Britishsubject to-day than to have been a Roman in Rome's palmiest days," thoughtJames Ingram, who was proud of his race and his family blood.
James Ingram came from a well-bred English household. His environment nowhedged him in. In England ill-health, and now, in America, ill-treatmentmade him miss golden opportunities. Except good qualities are inbred, itis almost as impossible for a person in one stratum of society to belifted up into another as it is for the geological strata of the earth tochange positions.
The grandmother of James Ingram had good blood in her veins; she camefrom a family that had performed valiant deeds in war and in peace. JamesIngram's father had erred in judgment, and a large estate, partiallyinherited, had been swept away as by a flood. He died, leaving James theeldest son to aid in supporting his mother and several children.
James Ingram was now over fifty years of age. Could he, or his children,retrieve their family prestige was a question he often asked himself. Hestill had energy, unconquerable determination, and faith in himself.These are some of the essential elements in a successful character; butthe fates thus far had decreed adversely. His early education was not ofthe best, but by carefully devoting not less than two hours a day to goodreading, he had not only kept pace with current history, but had alsoacquired a helpful knowledge of the sciences.
When his oldest son George was born, he planned to give his children thebest education possible. Two of his three daughters were teaching in thepublic schools; May Ingram taught music. Two of his sons worked in themills, one as chemist and one as an electrician; a third son wasconductor on a passenger train, and a fourth was studying to be aphysician.
The father and his son, George, after the day's work at the millswas over, spent much time over a problem which, if solved, wouldrevolutionize many things. Twice they thought they were on the eve of asolution of the subject, but unforeseen obstacles were encountered, andstill they struggled on.
It is no wonder that the father was proud of George, now chemist of thevast steel works, for he was manly and respected by all the employees.When a boy, George worked nights, Saturdays, and during his vacations inthe mills, and the men came to know and love his genial ways and fairmethods, and thus he gained a good knowledge of steel-making.
His father was urgent that his son should not miss a single day in hisschooling. At length he graduated at the high school with the esteem ofhis teachers and his class. During the twelve years spent in publicschools he had acquired a fine discipline of mind, a love of thesciences, and enough of Latin and Greek to aid him in determining thederivation and exact meaning of words. Co-education too had refined hisnature, and enabled him to estimate correctly his own abilities, but bestof all he had come to know at the high school the second daughter ofReuben Harris, Gertrude, who graduated in his own class. During thesenior year he had frequently walked and talked with her, and came toknow somewhat of her plans.
Gertrude's parents, especially Mrs. Harris, were anxious that both theirdaughters should go to private schools, and Lucille was easily persuadedto attend a young ladies' seminary, where aesthetic accomplishments wereemphasized and considered essentials and a passport into good society.But Gertrude decided in favor of a public school education.
Lucille and Gertrude as sisters were fond of each other, but Lucillelived more for self, while Gertrude preferred others to self. Gertrudehad learned early how by a smile or bow to retain an old friend or towin a new one. She spent very little time thinking about her own needs,preferring to take flowers or fruit, even when given her, to some sick oraged person. Nothing pleased her more than to visit the Old Ladies' Homewith a few gifts and read the Bible or comforting stories to the inmates.
Mrs. Harris when east chanced to spend a June day at Wellesley Collegenear Boston. By early moonlight several hundred Wellesley girls andthousands of spectators had assembled on the banks of Lake Waban to enjoythe "Float." Gaily uniformed crews in their college flotilla formeda star-shaped group near the shore for their annual concert. Chineselanterns, like giant fire-flies, swung in the trees and on many gracefulboats. The silver notes of the bugle and the chant of youthful voiceschanged the college-world into a fairyland.
Both mother and daughter were charmed and Lucille gladly decided to enterWellesley. Hard study, however, and the daily forty-five minutes ofdomestic work then required, did not agree with her nature, and after afew weeks she decided upon a change, and continued her education at oneof the private schools on the Back-Bay in Boston.
Gertrude, possessing a more active mind and ambition, resolved to obtainan education as good as her brother Alfonso had had at Harvard. She hadread of a prominent benefactor who believed that woman had the same rightas man to intellectual culture and development, and who in 1861 hadfounded on the Hudson, midway between Albany and New York, an institutionwhich he hoped would accomplish for women what colleges were doing formen.
So Gertrude applied for enrollment and was admitted to Vassar College.Rooms were assigned her in Strong Hall. She liked Vassar's sensible wayof hazing, a cordial reception being given to freshmen by the sophomores.She was glad to be under both men and women professors, for this in partfulfilled her idea of the education that women should receive.
At Vassar were several girls from Harrisville whom Gertrude knew, but noboys. She wrote her mother that she would be better pleased if Vassar hadless Greek and more boys. She could not understand why co-education atthe high school in Harrisville, that worked perfectly, should stop at thethreshold of Vassar, or other women's and men's colleges.
The two following years on the beautiful Hudson were happy years forGertrude. She conquered mathematics, stood well in Latin, and wasenthusiastic in the study of psychology, the science of mind, whichteaches the intimate relation of mental phenomena to the physicalorganism. German was an elective study with Gertrude, which she hadstudied at the high school, but at Vassar she learned to write and talkthe language with accuracy and freedom, which is not usual, unless onelives in a German family.
Gertrude was already planning to study history and some of the sciencesin original German text-books, if occasion offered. She cared littlefor music, though she was extremely fond of poetry and now and thencontributed verses for publication. Her essay on architecture at theclose of the second year elicited applause from the students and praisein red ink across the first page of the composition.
Self-government of the Vassar girls develops self-respect andself-control. A Vassar girl is bound on her honor to retire every nightat ten o'clock, with three exceptions a month, to exercise in thegymnasium three hours a week, and to take at least one hour of outdoorexercise daily. Regular exercise, regular meals, nine hours of sleep, andplenty of mental work were rapidly preparing Gertrude to fill some nobleposition in the world.
At Vassar other sources of mental rest and physical strength are,tennis-court tournaments, basket ball, rowing and skating on the lake,bicycling, or five-mile tramps, studying birds, photographing scenery, orgathering wild flowers. The Vassar girl is also enthusiastic ove
r the"Tree and Trig Ceremonies" and amateur dramatic entertainments.
Gertrude closed her second and last year at Vassar with regret. Thefarewell "fudge" party was for Gertrude, and given in her own room by ascore of her warm personal friends. The rule for "fudge-making" is, twocups of sugar, milk, two rolls of butter melted with chocolate in acopper kettle over a gas stove. The fused compound is poured into paperplates and cut into tiny squares. So eager is the Vassar girl for "fudge"that the struggle is earnest for the first taste, and for the cleaning ofthe big spoon and kettle. The Vassar girl has a sweet tooth, and "fudge"parties always evolve love stories and fun in abundance.
After a pleasant vacation in the Adirondacks with friends, Gertruderesolved to complete her education at Smith College on the lovelyConnecticut River, which winds through western Massachusetts. To educatea whole family of boys and girls at the "dear old alma mater" is now anexploded fancy. A better plan is to educate the half dozen brothers andsisters at a half dozen good colleges. What faculty of educators can layclaim to all the best methods of evolving characters?
The industry and economy of James Ingram had enabled him to send his sonGeorge for two years to the Polytechnic Institute at Troy. Suddenlyfinancial troubles made it impossible for him longer to assist his son.Mrs. Harris, very likely by Gertrude's suggestion, offered to providefunds for the third and last year at the institute, and George wasdelighted to complete his course.
By invitation, George had spent the last days of his vacation withGertrude in the Adirondacks, and he had accompanied Mrs. Harris and herdaughters back to Albany, while the mother continued the journey leavingGertrude at Smith College, Northampton, and Lucille at Boston. Mrs.Harris was justly proud of her girls. Their figure and dress often causedpeople to stop in their conversation or reading, as mother and daughtersentered a car or a hotel.
George Ingram returned to the institute with high hopes. A few of hisplans were revealed to Gertrude on the last night of his vacation. Hetold her some things he never dared mention before to any one. They wereon Saranac Lake and the moon seemed to change the water to silver. Theirbirch canoe drifted along the shore and George, dropping his oars,reversed his seat and faced the girl he loved as he told her much of hisplan for life. Gertrude dipped her oars lightly in the water, Georgeguiding the canoe beneath the forest overhanging the pebbly shore.
Thus far his education had been a struggle. Time which his mates employedin recreation he had used in the steel mill. Thus he gained a trade and aknowledge of the value of time. Early he had learned that knowledge ispower and that intellect and wealth rule the world. He told Gertrude thatshe had kindled within him the spark of ambition, and that he proposed tomake life a success. "Gertrude, you must be my friend in this struggle,"he added.
"Yes, George, always your friend," she replied.
He felt that Gertrude meant all she said. Long ago her sincerity hadcaptured his heart. Her sympathy, her unselfishness, and her words ofhelpfulness had been the light by which he was shaping his course.
Another school year went by swiftly, and both Lucille and Gertrude werepresent in June at Troy to see George Ingram graduate. It was a pity thathis own father and mother, who had sacrificed so much for him, could notattend. How often his noble mother had prayed for her first-born son, andGertrude had prayed too, but George did not know this.
At times he was conscious of a strong force within, impelling himforward, whose source he could not divine, neither could he free himselffrom it. Fortunate person whose sails are filled with breezes fromheaven, for craft of this kind go forward guided rightly, almost withoutthe rudder's aid!
George pursued at the institute a three years' course, leading up to thedegree of Bachelor of Science. After the first two years he took lesshigher mathematics and more natural history, chemistry, and geology. Theinstitute is within easy access of engineering works and manufacturingplants of great diversity, which afforded young Ingram opportunities forvaluable investigation and observation. His graduating thesis wasentitled, "A Design for an Electrical Steel Plant with Working Details,Capacity One Thousand Tons per Diem." It was much complimented,especially the detail drawings for the plant.
His books and clothes had been packed and shipped to Harrisville.Reluctant good-byes were given to all the professors, class-mates, andmany townspeople, who were fond of him. Life in Troy had been a constantinspiration, for he was in touch with young men from cultivated familieswhich in itself is an education. George had the usual experience of thestudent world, for to him all the professors were very learned men.
After George had locked the door of his old study-room to go to thetrain, he stopped in the hallway in serious thought, then turning backhe unlocked the door and again entered the dear old rooms. He reseatedhimself at the desk, where he had so often studied far into the night.He took another look into the bedroom, into the little store-room, andpleasant memories crowded his mind, as for the last time he gazed fromthe window towards the Berkshire Hills, beyond which Gertrude wasbeing educated, and then as he finally re-locked the door, he recalledhis afternoon engagement to meet Gertrude and Lucille at 4:30 o'clock atthe Albany station to take the Boston & Chicago Special for Harrisville.
George had entered the institute with a light heart and much zest,because three years of progressive work were marked out for him. Hismental journey had now ended and his heart was heavy. No road openedbefore him except the one that led back to the dingy old Harrisvillemills. In the last three years his sky had lifted a little, but theintelligence gained only made him all the more conscious of the smallworld in which he and his family lived. How was he ever to earn a livingfor two, if Gertrude should possibly say "yes?"
Just as he put his foot on the platform of the railway station a letterwas placed in his hand by a fellow classmate. The envelope bore theprinted address of the Harrisville Iron & Steel Co. George, thinking theletter was from his father, instantly tore it open and began reading. Atfirst his face flushed and then it was lit with joy.
"Good tidings, I hope," said Gertrude, as she with her sister approached.
"Yes, Gertrude, read for yourself. A friend at court is a friend indeed."
The two sisters were delighted and heartily congratulated George. "Ofcourse, you will accept the position?" inquired Gertrude.
"Your father, Gertrude, is very kind to me, and I believe I could fillsatisfactorily the position of chemist now offered by the steel company.Later, Gertrude, we can talk this matter over." Three happy young peoplebought tickets for home and took seats in a Pullman car.
After a week's rest, George Ingram assumed the duties of assistantchemist for the Harrisville Iron & Steel Co. Two weeks' initiation by theold chemist, whose health was failing, sufficed to give young Ingramefficiency and confidence in his desirable position.