University Press Publishes Roosevelt Letters; T.R. Wrote About Undergraduate Life, Russia

Teddy Roosevelt could not understand why Harvard's football team always lost to Yale, since he didn't believe that the Elis had more "natural athletic talent" than the Crimson. Such comments as this fill his letters published today by the University Press.

In the first two volumes just out, Roosevelt, a graduate of 1880, attacked President Eliot for his opposition to athletics. T. R. thought that the College should turn out "men" first of all. "Incidentally, letthem be professors, chemists, writers, anything you please, but let them be men."

Roosevelt also charged that Eliot was "Germanizing" the teaching staff. Roosevelt's "men" could not be turned out "if we don't have the instructors themselves men, and not merely bloodless students."

Undergraduate Spelling

As an undergraduate Roosevelt also had complaints about the University which sound like those of today. He could not stomach the food at the Commons: "It is gradually getting uneatable; almost all the fellows I know are leaving." T. R. finally decided "to join a table with some of the Boston men" including "a boy named Saltenstahl."

The future President also had his money problems as an undergraduate. One time, he asked his father for $100 "to provide for accidents." Later he asked for another $100 to pay his quarterly College bills. "This must be sent to me immediately," he urged, "or the College will collect on my bond which will be very disagreeable both for Mr. M--- and myself."

Money was useful to Roosevelt who kept himself busy socially. In his senior year, he owned "a cart and horse, with whip, rug, etc." He used to drive to the suburb of Chestnut Hill where he met the girl he became engaged to in his senior year.

Love and Exams

"It was rather tough on my studies to bring my love affair to a denouement in the midst of the semi-annuals."

For all his social activity T.R. still did well enough to make Phi Beta Kappa.

On the whole, he must have studied pretty hard. One time he crammed so long for exams that his family reproached him for not writing. His father admonished him, "Take care of your morals first, your health next, and finally your studies."

Roosevelt was graduated 21st in his class. He was pleased with his rank in the class since "only one gentleman stands ahead of me."

Between his studies and his social life, Roosevelt taught Sunday school. He later wrote that he thought his companions would look down on him for this if he "had not also been a corking boxer, a good runner, and a genial member of the Porcellian Club."

Scrubby Set in New Haven

T.R. was very glad he did not go to Yale; the freshman hazing there was too rough for him. He thought the Ellis were "a much more scrubby set than ours." He also mentioned that they played "very foul" football to best a Crimson eleven.

Twenty years later, Roosevelt summarized the two schools: "Unquestionably the evil development of Harvard is the snob, exactly as the evil development of Yale is the cad; upon my word, of the two I think the cad the least unhealthy, though perhaps the most objectionable person."

While he was an Overseer, Roosevelt wrote, "I have always taken a particular interest in seeing developed at Harvard a strong Catholic element. I rejoiced when young Daly was made captain of our football team."

In a political quarrel, Eliot once attacked Roosevelt as "a degenerate non of Harvard." T.R. later retorted by charging that College professors were writing in the CRIMSON to urge graduates to attack President Cleveland's foreign policy."

Roosevelt sent the CRIMSON what he described as "a smashing letter...saying a word for Patriotism and American ism ... to save Harvard from degradation."