Seymour Howell of the class of '92 died on Monday night at the Cambridge Hospital. Two weeks ago he was taken ill with what seemed but a slight disorder of the stomach. Getting no better, however, during the following three days, he was removed to the Cambridge hospital where an inflammation of the vermiform appendage soon developed. His parents were summoned from their home in Albany, and consented, as a last resort, to a dangerous operation. Dr. Homans, the eminent surgeon, whose specialty is the operation for peritonitis, was called in and for a few days it seemed as if his skill had arrested further progress of the disease. Sunday, however, it became evident that the insidious inflammation had again set in and all hope was given up. Up till the last Howell was conscious and suffered great pain which he endured with a remarkable courage. He realized that his chance for life was very small; but fought desperately with the growing weakness until Monday night, when his system. utterly depleted, could bear the strain no longer.
Brief but impressive funeral services were held at Appleton Chapel yesterday at half after twelve o'clock. Almost all the members of the junior class and many others in the University were present. Rev. Wm. Lawrence. assisted by Rev. Professor Francis G. Peabody, read the Episcopal burial service, and offered prayer. The choir, made up partly from members of the old '92 glee club and partly from the students of the chapel choir, sang "Abide with Me," and "Angels of Light." The pall-bearers were E. F. Fitzhugh '91, H. R. Allen '92, W. H. Gratwick, Jr., '92, R. M. Gillespie '92, David Gray '92, and Herman Gade '93.
Seymour Howell was born at Mt. Morris. in the Genesee Valley, New York, August 20th, 1869. His preparation for Harvard was begun in Albany, his home for the greater part of his life, and completed with tutors at a family country place in Mt. Morris.
The nature of college life, which leads a man into so many new friendships upon entering the University, naturally makes the short period in his life during which we have known him of principal interest to us. Howell was president of the '92 freshman glee club and sang for a time on the University glee club. He was a member of the Institute of 1770. It is difficult to sum up the qualities of a man familiarity with whom is apt to blind the perception of those traits which would be apparent to a stranger. All those who knew Howell slightly will remember him first, probably, for his courteous manner and kind-hearted disposition. To those, and there are many, who knew him intimately there will be an ever growing realization of his honorable and manly character.
It is impossible to grade the intellectual promise of a man but half-way on the road to the bachelor's degree. Howell in his college work stood above the average but preferred to devote rather more time to reading and general mental culture than was compatible with the highest rank of scholarship. In many respects he was the typical Harvard man. First of all a gentleman, with that innate good breeding man, with that innate good breeding which made his company a pleasure, and with that high sense of personal dignity and honor which commanded the respect of all those who were thrown in with him. Well read, with broad sympathies, a high sense of the humorous, a sincere and true friend, he was a fellow that will be missed the more as wider experience shows us the seareeness of men of his stamp. The crowded daily life of the University leaves little place for death in our minds. And the death so sudden and unexpected of one of us who lived our life so thoroughly can not be truly realized until time shall have impressed upon us the fact that his absence is forever. Until the class of '92 becomes like him a memory, his name will be held in sincere and high regard.
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