372 NATHANIEL SOUTHGATE SEALER 



worked with a far-seeing eye for the advancement of the Har- 

 vard Summer School, and through it for the advancement of the 

 University. In the administration work he was greatly aided 

 by the men who at various times acted as his secretaries : Mr. 

 Montague Chamberlain, Professor J. L. Love, 'and others, who 

 likewise spared no pains to bring the school to a high plane of 

 efficiency. It was not the intellectual side only that was well 

 looked after ; the comfort and happiness of the students, men 

 and women, were in every way considered. While disliking in 

 such a connection anything of the nature of a picnic quality, 

 Mr. Shaler was in favor of promoting social fellowship. At the 

 reception given each summer by way of greeting to the students, 

 he was present, whenever possible, to welcome them with a cor- 

 dial shake of the hand to the ancient halls of learning. On their 

 part, although he was unconscious of it, their attitude toward 

 him was almost reverential. He was often greatly pleased with 

 the delight in the attractiveness of the old surroundings ex- 

 pressed by those who came from the newer parts of the country ; 

 he particularly enjoyed the air of proprietorship shown by some 

 of these scholar pilgrims, and would laughingly say, "These 

 six- weeks students think they own the University : the women 

 especially/' 



At first it was difficult to get just the men he wanted among 

 the University corps of teachers to assist, but of late years the 

 oldest and most distinguished professors have lectured to the 

 large classes composed of unusually serious-minded listeners. 

 Mr. Shaler considered the Summer School a vast instrument 

 for the extension of Harvard's influence and the methods of 

 teaching adopted there. Its present flourishing condition is a 

 monument to his sagacity, and to his fostering care during times 

 of great discouragement. 



Mr. Shaler was always opposed to getting up things with too 

 much preparation and formality the thing was to get itself 

 up. He often cited the Summer School as an instance of an in- 

 stitution coming into being almost without official authority, 



