CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
AN ESTIMATE OF THE MAN


 The men whom I have seen succeed bet in life have always
 been cheerful and hopeful men, who went about their buain.e with
 a nile on their face, and took the change and chance of this
 mortal life like men, facing rough and smooth alike as it came.
 -CHA. KmcSLEaY.
 SMANY occasions in the career of Dr. Murphree as
 college and university president there have come
 to his office young men who felt they could no
 longer carry on in the task of getting an education,
and professed themselves ready to give up and leave schooL
In every such instance Dr. Murphree has had a heart-to-heart
talk with such a student, in an effort to get to the bottom of
the difficulty. If the trouble was one other than financial,
the friendly advice and helpful counsel of the president fre-
quently resulted in the student facing facts in a different light
and finding a solution of the problem in such manner that
he could continue his education. If the student lacked funds,
and there was any possible way by which that student could
do honorable work to make enough to stay in school, Dr.
Murphree would find that work for him.
 Frequently the president has gone to the lengths of per-
sonal sacrifice for needy students. When those understand-
ing eyes pieced beneath whatever rugged surface made up
the exterior and saw the uncut diamond of character and
ability beneath, awaiting the polishing process of an educa-
tion, Dr. Murphree has frequently helped with loans and gifts.
One such incident, recounted by Dr. Fons A. Hathaway, who
in his own career as educator and public servant remained a
close personal friend of Dr. Murphree, is typical of many:
 "It was at Florida State College in Tallahassee while I
was a student that I came to know and love Dr. Murphree as
a leader and as a man. I was somewhat more mature than
my fellow students, for I was reared in a country district
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