"Our trustees in Boston had taken action authorizing and
desiring me to make a special trip to America when decisions
as to main questions seemed to us to be growing clearer, but
it was March before my wife and I could leave for America,
with Mr. Getchell again to act as President in my absence.
On the first day of April, 1925, we reached New York, and
soon thereafter were in Boston, where we expected first of
all to meet our associates, Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Riggs. Alas
for the ways of Providence that are beyond our understanding!
Theodore Riggs had suffered from an attack of tuberculosis
when in College but seemed to have fully recovered in
Colorado, and with training and experience both in law
and in business, knowing the Near East from boyhood and
admirably fitted to handle the business and legal matters
for the College, had been stricken with influenza and his
system failed to carry him through the process of recovery.
April 11, instead of sharing in the counsel of my associate
as to our common task, I was called upon to share in his
funeral service, with a great burden of sorrow for his wife
and their five little children.
Workers fall--but the work must go on. At 14 Beacon Street
there was a friendly hearing for my message but not a
finished plan. One of the officials warned me that I must
be prepared for disappointment; trustees were always
conservative and in any case would hesitate to effect a
permanent withdrawal from Turkey and an entire rebuilding
of the whole Anatolia enterprise. I saw individual members
of the Board of Trustees and other supporters and friends
as I might find or make an opportunity to do so; and the
trustee meeting was called for May 26. Dr. James L. Barton,
then as always a leading spirit, took an encouraging
attitude, when some of our trustees representing a common
attitude said, "I hae me doots". When the trustees met
May 26 there were twelve voting members present. They
listened to my statement and discussed some points with me.
I had fifty pages in different documents ready for use on
any point if wanted. When the vote was taken it was
unanimous; twelve votes in favor of proceeding with the
Anatolia College enterprise in Thessaloniki! I think
I never was so tired in my life.
After the meeting one of our officers said to me with a
confidential smile that the Trustees were chiefly relying
on me to lead in efforts for funds with which to rebuild
and carry on the institution. And that was my next task,
always under their authority and with their cooperation
and support. One of the Trustees, resident in another
city, said to me, "You'll have to take the initiative,
but a lot of us want to help you."