56 ROOSEVELT'S BIRTH AND EDUCATION. 



conspicuously the kind of college man he was. In rowing, base-ball 

 and foot-ball he was an earnest champion, but never a prominent 

 participant. In the other athletic contests he was often seen. It 

 was as a boxer that he excelled. Boxing was a regular feature of 

 the Harvard contests of that day, and " Teddy," as he was uni- 

 versally called, was the winner of many a bout. 



He had his share in college journalism. During his senior 

 year he was one of the editors of the "Advocate." Unlike the 

 other editors, he was not himself a frequent contributor. 



The range of his interests is shown by this enumeration of 

 clubs in which he had membership. The Natural History Societ}^, 

 of which he was vice-president; the Art Club, of which Professor 

 Charles Eliot Norton was the president; the Finance Club, the 

 Glee Club (associate member), the Harvard Rifle Corps, the O. K. 

 Society, of which he was ti^asurer, and the Harvard Athletic 

 Association, of which he was steward. 



HIS APPEARANCE AT GRADUATION. 



Roosevelt's share of class-day honors was membership in the 

 class committee. All who knew Roosevelt in his college days 

 speak of him as dashing and picturesque in his ways and hand- 

 some appearance. His photograph, taken at graduation, shows 

 no moustache, but a rather generous allowance of side whiskers. 



Although he was near-sighted, and wore glasses at the time, 

 they do not appear in the photograph. Maturity and sobriety are 

 the most evident characteristics of th e countenance. A companion 

 of student days tells a story to shov that the future President did 

 things then much as he does then now. A horse in a stable 

 close to Roosevelt's room made a sudden noise one night which 

 demanded instant attention. Young Roosevelt was in bed at the 

 time, but he waited not for daytime clothes — nor did he even wait 

 to get down the steps. He bounded out the second-story window, 

 and had quieted the row before the less impetuous neighbors 

 arrived. 



It was while in college that he conceived the idea of his his- 

 tory of the American Navy in the War of 1812. This volume 



