OP DENISON UNIVKRSITV 69 



Strictness, his positive judgments and peremptory answers, for stern- 

 ness. Sometimes his replies to those who sought his counsel would be 

 brief, and he would seem to be absorbed in something else. He would 

 even at times disregard those little courtesies which make men seem 

 approachable. But if the matter really was one that required his help, 

 the applicant would find in a day or two that Mr. Barney had thought 

 it all over and had some plan to suggest or some relief to offer. He 

 threw men upon their own resources to develop them, and then reached 

 out his hand to keep them from falling. They who came to know him 

 well found out that no one could have a kinder heart or be more ready 

 to help those in trouble." 



Doubtless many who read this bulletin have met in one place and 

 another evidences of the deep interest which Mr. Barney took in ad- 

 vocating the cultivation of the Catalpa tree for timber. He gathered 

 and published statistics as to its rapid growth and durability, and 

 through the columns of the Railway Age and other journals suggested 

 that railroad companies should cultivate the tree along their lines for 

 use as ties. Letters of inquiry concerning the tree came to him by thou- 

 sands, and as the result of his efforts millions of Catalpa trees are now 

 growing in this and other countries. 



His gifts to Denison University at various times aggregated nearly 

 seventy thousand dollars, and he was also instrumental in securing the 

 financial support of others. In addition to this he gave much time and 

 thought to the school as a member of its Board of trustees. Doubtless 

 to his services as a teacher also, in 1833, is due in part the tradition of 

 thorough work in the class room which it has always been the special 

 effort of the University to maintain. 



This hurried sketch must necessarily fail to give anyone a com- 

 plete conception of Mr. Barney's lifework and personal characteristics. 

 It may indicate, however, the type of men to which he belonged, — 

 men of keen insight, unceasing industry, thorough and orderly habits 

 of thought, conscientiously upright in every detail of life, of unobtru- 

 sive modesty and yet strong in conviction, and always generous to any 

 good cause or deserving individual in proportion to the means at 

 command. 



