The Gingham dress
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The Gingham dress
THE GINGHAM DRESS
A lady in a faded gingham dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun threadbare suit, stepped off the train in Boston , and walked timidly without an appointment into the Harvard University President's outer office.
The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard and probably didn't even deserve to be in Cambridge
'We'd like to see the president,' the man said softly. 'He'll be busy all day,' the secretary snapped. 'We'll wait,' the lady replied.
For hours the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go a way. They didn't, and the secretary grew frustrated and finally decided to disturb the president, even though it was a chore she always regretted.
'Maybe if you see them for a few minutes, they'll leave,' she said to him!
He sighed in exasperation and nodded. Someone of his importance obviously didn't have the time to spend with them, and he detested gingham dresses and homespun suits cluttering up his outer office.
The president, stern faced and with dignity, strutted to ward the couple.
The lady told him, 'We had a son who attended Harvard for one year.
He loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. My husband and I would like to erect a memorial to him, somewhere on campus.'
The president wasn't touched. He was shocked. 'Madam,' he said, gruffly, 'we can't put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died. If we did, this place would look like a cemetery.'
'Oh, no,' the lady explained quickly. 'We don't want to erect a statue. We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard.'
The president rolled his eyes. He glanced at the gingham dress and homespun suit, then exclaimed, 'A building! Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs? We have over seven and a half million dollars in the physical buildings here at Harvard.'
For a moment the lady was silent. The president was pleased. Maybe he could get rid of them now.
The lady turned to her husband and said quietly, 'Is that all it costs to start a university? Why don't we just start our own?'
Her husband nodded. The president's face wilted in confusion and bewilderment. Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford got up and walked away, travelling to Palo Alto, California where they established the university that bears their name, Stanford University, a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about.
You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them.
...............................A TRUE STORY By Malcolm Forbes
A lady in a faded gingham dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun threadbare suit, stepped off the train in Boston , and walked timidly without an appointment into the Harvard University President's outer office.
The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard and probably didn't even deserve to be in Cambridge
'We'd like to see the president,' the man said softly. 'He'll be busy all day,' the secretary snapped. 'We'll wait,' the lady replied.
For hours the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go a way. They didn't, and the secretary grew frustrated and finally decided to disturb the president, even though it was a chore she always regretted.
'Maybe if you see them for a few minutes, they'll leave,' she said to him!
He sighed in exasperation and nodded. Someone of his importance obviously didn't have the time to spend with them, and he detested gingham dresses and homespun suits cluttering up his outer office.
The president, stern faced and with dignity, strutted to ward the couple.
The lady told him, 'We had a son who attended Harvard for one year.
He loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. My husband and I would like to erect a memorial to him, somewhere on campus.'
The president wasn't touched. He was shocked. 'Madam,' he said, gruffly, 'we can't put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died. If we did, this place would look like a cemetery.'
'Oh, no,' the lady explained quickly. 'We don't want to erect a statue. We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard.'
The president rolled his eyes. He glanced at the gingham dress and homespun suit, then exclaimed, 'A building! Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs? We have over seven and a half million dollars in the physical buildings here at Harvard.'
For a moment the lady was silent. The president was pleased. Maybe he could get rid of them now.
The lady turned to her husband and said quietly, 'Is that all it costs to start a university? Why don't we just start our own?'
Her husband nodded. The president's face wilted in confusion and bewilderment. Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford got up and walked away, travelling to Palo Alto, California where they established the university that bears their name, Stanford University, a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about.
You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them.
...............................A TRUE STORY By Malcolm Forbes
- E_
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Pre2012-Conley Bottom Mostly, Waitsboro, Alligator I&II ramps, Leesford, Pulaski County Park (when it has water), Grider, State Dock (via boat), and Jamestown are a few places you might find me. - Location: Kentucky (Lake Cumberland)
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Re: The Gingham dress
did you snopes check that? if it is true it is pretty wild.
Buy American, the job you save just might be your own.
Re: The Gingham dress
Are you aware who posted this?E_HILLMAN wrote:did you snopes check that?
"The language of friendship is not words but meaning." (Henry David Thoreau)
- FasterThanYou
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- Marina/Ramp: Woodson Bend
- Location: Lake Cumberland
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Re: The Gingham dress
Uh oh, re3 will be in trouble this weekend
Keyboards should be equipped with breathalyzers
- E_
- Site Admin
- Posts: 14818
- Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2008 10:26 pm
- Marina/Ramp: Currently mostly out of Jamestown but spend a lot of time at the other Marinas.
Pre2012-Conley Bottom Mostly, Waitsboro, Alligator I&II ramps, Leesford, Pulaski County Park (when it has water), Grider, State Dock (via boat), and Jamestown are a few places you might find me. - Location: Kentucky (Lake Cumberland)
- Contact:
Re: The Gingham dress
Do you know what it smells like when RE3 and Jeff kick each other in the rear end?
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Depends
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Depends
Buy American, the job you save just might be your own.
Re: The Gingham dress
And to think you're gonna miss all of this E!
Even a broken clock is right twice a day
Re: The Gingham dress
Hillman! Ya might wanna retract that real quick!
"The language of friendship is not words but meaning." (Henry David Thoreau)
Re: The Gingham dress
E, don't forget..... re3too has your address and Jeffie has a garmin!!!
I bet JB would NOT appreciate a visit for a good old fashioned a$$ kickin... LMAO (I refuse to call it F! That would mean acceptance, )
I bet JB would NOT appreciate a visit for a good old fashioned a$$ kickin... LMAO (I refuse to call it F! That would mean acceptance, )
Even a broken clock is right twice a day
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Re: The Gingham dress
Barb, he is only saying that crap because he knows he can't come. Tween you and me and my water gun, he would have had a bad evening. Poopboy is fraid of usin!!!
Re: The Gingham dress
He should be afraid! He should be VERY afraid!
"The language of friendship is not words but meaning." (Henry David Thoreau)