A Sentimental Journey

HARRIMAN, DAVIS, SCHUYLER, HEALD, MARTIN

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 5/17/2012 at 10:44:34

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register; June 4, 1959

BACK TO OLD GRINNELL--

A SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY

When Raymond Davis Harriman of Stanford, Calif, returns to Grinnell this coming weekend for the 50th reunion of the Grinnell College class of 1909, his coming will awaken memories for many older townspeople.

Born in Grinnell on June 6, 1888, Harriman, who became a distinguished classical scholar and served actively on the Stanford University faculty for 25 years, was the son of Augustus C. and Kate Davis Harriman.

FATHER WAS CITY CLERK

His father, "Gus" Harriman, served as city clerk from 1907 until 1923, when he was succeeded by Homer Lowrey, whose own long tenure in that office is just ending.

Before becoming city clerk, Gus Harriman ran a little store, "The Hub," well remembered by high-schoolers of the time who shopped there. It was located in the Broad St. block between Fourth Ave. and Commercial St., opposite Central Park.

Raymond's mother Kate, of the class of 1875 at the college, was a member of the Davis family whose name is perpetuated in the Davis School. Built in 1918, it was named for his two aunts, Lizzie and Edna, long-time teachers in the early Grinnell schools.

His sister, Jessie Harriman Schuyler Heald, now of Oakland, Calif., is also well remembered in Grinnell. An 1899 graduate of the college's School of Music, she gave private piano lessons here for many years She was married to David Schuyler, and their son Clare, now also of Oakland, attended the college in the class of 1927. After Mr. Schuyler's death, she married Henry H. Heald, who died in 1956. The family moved to California about 30 years ago.

HONORARY DEGREE

Raymond Harriman will be returning to the college not only for his class reunion but also as one chosen to be given an honorary degree at Commencement exercises Sunday afternoon. He will receive a doctorate of humane letters as a noted son of the college and of this community.

After receiving his B.A. from Grinnell, Harriman took his M.A. and PhD. degrees at the University of Wisconsin and was a fellow of the American Academy in Rome in 1915-16. He married Mary Ruth Martin and they had two children, John and Joan.

He began teaching in Muscatine (Ia.) high school, serving for three years before doing his graduate work at Wisconsin, where he was also a teaching assistant. From 1917 until 1928 he was a member of the University of Utah faculty in ancient languages, then went to Stanford to teach classics until his retirement in 1953.

He headed the Stanford classics department from 1937 on was chairman of the School of Letters for two years and the School of Humanities for one served as acting dean in 1947-48 and was coordinator of military programs at the university for several years.

He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and other honorary and professional societies.