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Harold Munro Battelle of the class of Ninety-three, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Battelle, died at his home, 257 Marlborough Street, Boston, yesterday morning at seven o'clock of consumption.
Harold Munro Battelle was born in Boston, May 8, 1870, and hence was a little over 22 years old when he died. In 1882 he entered the Roxbury Latin School and was graduated from there in 1888. While at the school he had a severe attack of pneumonia, the recovery from which left his lungs peculiarly weak. So sensitive were they that it was deemed best he should rest for the next year before entering college. In February, 1889, Battelle, in company with a brother and a friend, went to a place near Colorado Springs. The bracing air of Colorado seemed to improve his health, and in the fall of 1889 he entered Harvard College in the class of '93.
A year and a half ago, the first premonition of the seriousness of the disease which has proved fatal came. At that time he was ill for a month and a half, but he recovered and returned to college. This year his health was more delicate and his physician perceived that his case was very serious. On March 24 of this year, Battelle left college and since that time he has been confined to his room. Several weeks ago he rallied, but the rally was but temporal and since then he has gradually grown worse. For the last week he has been very weak, although he endured the suffering, which the last stages of consumption imply, heroically. Night before last he could breathe only with the greatest difficulty, but towards morning he sank into a restful sleep and so passed away.
The life of Battelle at Harvard is well known to everyone in his class. Though never in robust health, he entered with a zest, which stronger men do not always exhibit, into the duties and pleasures of college life. He was selected at the middle of his freshman year from a number of candidates to be coxswain of the '90 'varsity crew. The ensuing fall he was coxswain of the '93 crew which won the fall barge races. The next spring he coxswained the '93 crew in the class races, and again in June was coxswain of the victorious 'varsity crew, bringing to that position almost ideal abilities - extreme lightness of weight, a good resonant voice, and a ready judgement. In his courses, he was a conscientious student and his popularity among his fellows was attested by his membership in the Institute of 1770, D. K. E., and the Hasty Pudding Club.
It was not what Battelle did, so much as what he was to his friends and even mere acquaintances that makes his death such a blow to the college - his memory so tender. Battelle's nature was essentially lovable. Unusually kind and sympathetic, invariably courteous and considerate of others, generous in thought and action, keenly sensitive, and serene even in the midst of the suffering which has been his lot for several years, - he was a thorough gentleman. And the memory of Harold Battelle will linger among his classmates until the class itself shall be no longer a memory.
The funeral will be held from the family residence, 257 Marlborough Street, Boston, Sunday afternoon. The exact time will be announced in the Boston papers tomorrow morning.
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