hon. frank c. wade, ll.b.
in the summer of 1903, at the age of twenty-five and with very little high school training, i determined to go to college. i had no money and my people were too poor to give me anything but encouragement. i had taught one country school and spent one summer in the west selling maps, but the most i could scrape together, in addition to experience, was a slight equipment of clothing and $30 in money. with these stored in my old trunk, i landed in bloomington, indiana, a few days early to report for football practice and to look for work. i was given a try-out at football before any arrangement was made for permanent quarters.
i shall never forget that first afternoon football practice. nature had been kind to me in giving me a strong body and good judgment, and i felt i could tackle any fellow that ever carried the pig-skin. i was well seasoned, having spent the summer working on the section, and it was lucky that i was. we kicked and fell on the ball for a while and then the coach lined us up for a little line-bucking. this was in the days when the line man on the football team selected his opponent who played opposite him and 163 fought it out with him. the modern, open and better style of football had not yet invaded the game. i had always played the position of tackle and it was there i was tried out that first afternoon. captain clevenger took the back field to run down punts and coach “jimmie” horn took us heavyweights for a little line-bucking. i happened to be the only lineman that was an unknown quantity to “jimmie” and he promptly proceeded to get acquainted, in the peculiar way that coaches sometimes have. he first lined me up against “cube,” but as he was fat and soft from his summer vacation, he was put to snapping the ball and smith, shirk and i tried it. i was not tried out much on the defensive that day but was asked to open up a hole between that big tackle and guard for the man who was coming through with the ball just behind me. we worked at that for about an hour. i do not know how well i succeeded but there never was a time after that first practice that i ever feared losing a place on the team.
the coach and manager knew of my financial condition and, as that was the days of the training table, my first job was purveyor for the training table. it was really the best snap i ever had. all i had to do was to collect the money from the other fellows at the end of the week and turn it over to the manager. things moved along well until the football season was over and the training table broke up. i then took the job of waiting on a table and washing 164 dishes at one of the high-priced boarding clubs. this lasted until i was given a job by a friend.
one sunday afternoon when i was feeling unusually blue, because of the fact that my books and incidentals had drawn very heavily on my $30 college fund, one of my friends, a senior by the name of payne, called in to see me. just as he was leaving he handed me a $5 bill and said that “jake” buskirk had sent it to me and said to tell me that he admired my playing and wanted to make me a little present. i shall never forget the feeling i had when i realized that it meant he was giving me $5. i was overjoyed at getting the much needed five, but studied for a long time whether i should keep it or return it. i felt a little like i was being bribed. however, when i invoiced my assets the feeling somewhat subsided and i decided to keep it, but for a long time i told only one or two of my very best friends about it. that was the first i knew there was such a fellow as “jake” buskirk, but the next afternoon at practice, in compliance with his promise, my friend payne was there and gave me a real introduction to “jake.” i do not know just what i said; i only know that i tried to thank him and thought that he looked like the best man i had ever seen. i met him a number of times afterwards that season and later became very intimately acquainted with him and i have never yet changed my first opinion of him. before christmas “jake” asked me how i would like to come up and stay with him and 165 take care of his furnace and horse. he explained that he had a large roomy house and could fix up a room for me without much trouble. i was glad of the opportunity and made my home with his family, which consisted of himself, his good wife, one of those splendid southern ladies, and his two boys, kearney and nat. at the end of the winter term, however, my money was gone and my clothes were worn. i determined to leave school and work until the beginning of the following year.
during my short stay at bloomington, i had met and made many friends who were anxious to assist me in any way they could.
when i left school i took a job as brakeman on the illinois central, but as i had to provide for extra board i made very little more than expenses. when school opened in the fall i accepted a position as teacher in the city schools of linton, indiana.
in the spring of 1905 i learned through some of my friends at bloomington that there would be an opening in the co-op, the university book store. i immediately applied for the position and obtained it. i had saved up a little money and stocked up in clothes. when i entered school in the fall of 1905 i felt like a new man, full of hope.
the co-op was a book store owned and operated by the university for the benefit of the students and, aside from a business manager who was a member of the university office force, it was managed by students. it took three to run it. by dividing our 166 time we were able to attend our classes and keep the co-op open from nine to twelve in the morning, and from two to five in the afternoon. we were paid on a per cent. basis. with what money i could make during my vacations i was able to graduate in the class of 1908, receiving the degree of ll.b.
we do not go to college merely to develop our mental self, but we have a physical and social self which i believe is as essential to train and develop while in college as is the mental. i have always been a large, strong physical fellow and many of my less fortunate companions have laughed at the notion that my college training has helped me physically; but, my college has done as much for me both physically and socially as it did mentally, and i believe the former two are as important elements in a young man’s make-up as is the latter. thanks to my college athletics, i contracted physical and mental habits that have made me a better and more useful man and i think will prolong life several years.
i was one of the more fortunate self-supporting men while in college and, while i do not disclaim all credit for sticking to it and pulling through, yet i often wonder if i would to-day be the proud possessor of a college diploma had i been small of stature and not able to make good on the gridiron.
fredonia, kans.
