A Howe Novel

Enter Jerry, by Edwin Meade Robinson 1894, a classmate of Frank Wade, M.D. They are both listed in the Fifth Form roster in the 1893 Catalog on our website and are both natives of Lima (Howe). Robinson went to Wabash College and then became a newspaper columnist, mostly for the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

His book, an autobiography, was published in 1921 and is available free on the Internet.

In the book Mr. Osborne = John Howe, and Osborne Academy = Howe Grammar School™. The mass paddling episode as described in the book is not as scandalous as other versions I have heard, but the School was worried enough to spend a lot of money buying up every copy of the book they could in the 1920s. Robinson also had a dim view of Dr. McKenzie’s anglo-catholicism.

When I was at Howe the only known copy was in the LaGrange Library; Sally Bell borrowed it for me so I could read it. I recommend it – Fred Seibold ’53.