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for those final examinations which； should he pass them even
by a nose； would gain him his degree； he did not cheat。 He
may have been too honest； too confident； too lazy； but Peter
did not cheat。 It was the professors who cheated。
At Stillwater College； on each subject on which you are
examined you can score a possible hundred。 That means
perfection； and in； the brief history of Stillwater； which
is a very； new college； only one man has attained it。 After
graduating he 〃accepted a position〃 in an asylum for the
insane； from which he was； promoted later to the poor…house；
where he died。 Many Stillwater undergraduates studied his
career and； lest they also should attain perfection； were
afraid to study anything else。 Among these Peter was by far
the most afraid。
The marking system at Stillwater is as follows： If in all the
subjects in which you have been examined your marks added
together give you an average of ninety； you are passed 〃with
honors〃； if of seventy…five； you pass 〃with distinction〃； if
Of fifty； You just 〃pass。〃 It is not unlike the grocer's
nice adjustment of fresh eggs； good eggs； and eggs。 The
whole college knew that if Peter got in among the eggs he
would be lucky； but the professors and instructors of
Stillwater 'were determined that； no matter what young
Hallowell might do to prevent it； they would see that he
passed his examinations。 And they constituted the jury of
awards。 Their interest in Peter was not because they loved
him so much； but because each loved his own vine…covered
cottage； his salary； and his dignified title the more。 And
each knew that that one of the faculty who dared to flunk
the son of old man Hallowell； who had endowed Stillwater； who
supported Stillwater； and who might be expected to go on
supporting Stillwater indefinitely； might also at the same
time hand in his official resignation。
Chancellor Black； the head of Stillwater； was an up…to…date
college president。 If he did not actually run after money he
went where money was； and it was not his habit to be
downright rude to those who possessed it。 And if any three…
thousand…dollar…a…year professor； through a too strict
respect for Stillwater's standards of learning； should lose
to that institution a half…million…dollar observatory；
swimming…pool； or gymnasium； he was the sort of college
president； who would see to it that the college lost also the
services of that too conscientious instructor。
He did not put this in writing or in words； but just before
the June examinations； when on； the campus he met one of the
faculty； he would inquire with kindly interest as to the
standing of young Hallowell。
〃That is too bad！〃 he would exclaim； but； more in sorrow than
in anger。 〃Still； I hope the boy can pull through。 He is his
dear father's pride； and his father's heart is set upon his
son's obtaining his degree。 Let us hope he will pull
through。〃 For four years every professor had been pulling
Peter through； and the conscience of each had become
calloused。 They had only once more to shove him through and
they would be free of him forever。 And so； although they did
not conspire together； each knew that of the firing squad
that was to aim its rifles at； Peter； HIS rifle would hold
the blank cartridge。
The only one of them who did not know this was Doctor Henry
Gilman。 Doctor Gilman was the professor of ancient and modern
history at Stillwater； and greatly respected and loved。 He
also was the author of those well…known text…books； 〃The
Founders of Islam；〃 and 〃The Rise and Fall of the Turkish
Empire。〃 This latter work； in five volumes； had been not
unfavorably compared to Gibbon's 〃Decline and Fall of the
Roman Empire。〃 The original newspaper comment； dated some
thirty years back； the doctor had preserved； and would
produce it； now somewhat frayed and worn； and read it to
visitors。 He knew it by heart； but to him it always possessed
a contemporary and news interest。
〃Here is a review of the history；〃 he would sayhe always
referred to it as 〃the〃 history〃that I came across in my
TRANSCRIPT。〃
In the eyes of Doctor Gilman thirty years was so brief a
period that it was as though the clipping had been printed
the previous after…noon。
The members of his class who were examined on the 〃Rise and
Fall；〃 and who invariably came to grief over it； referred to
it briefly as the Fall；〃 sometimes feelingly as 〃the。 。 。 。
Fall。〃 The〃 history began when Constantinople was Byzantium；
skipped lightly over six centuries to Constantine； and in the
last two Volumes finished up the Mohammeds with the downfall
of the fourth one and the coming of Suleiman。 Since Suleiman；
Doctor Gilman did not recognize Turkey as being on the map。
When his history said the Turkish Empire had fallen； then the
Turkish Empire fell。 Once Chancellor Black suggested that he
add a sixth volume that would cover the last three centuries。
〃In a history of Turkey issued as a text…book；〃 said the
chancellor； 〃I think the Russian…Turkish War should be
included。〃
Doctor Gilman； from behind his gold…rimmed spectacles； gazed
at him in mild reproach。 〃The war in the Crimea！〃 he
exclaimed。 〃Why； I was alive at the time。 I know about it。
That is not history。〃
Accordingly； it followed that to a man who since the
seventeenth century knew of no event； of interest； Cyrus
Hallowell； of the meat…packers' trust； was not an imposing
figure。 And such a man the son of Cyrus Hallowell was but an
ignorant young savage； to whom 〃the〃 history certainly had
been a closed book。 And so when Peter returned his
examination paper in a condition almost as spotless as that
in which he had received it； Doctor Gilman carefully and
conscientiously； with malice toward none and； with no thought
of the morrow； marked〃 five。〃
Each of the other professors and instructors had marked Peter
fifty。 In their fear of Chancellor Black they dared not give
the boy less； but they refused to be slaves to the extent of
crediting him with a single point higher than was necessary
to pass him。 But Doctor Gilman's five completely knocked out
the required average of fifty； and young Peter was 〃found〃
and could not graduate。 It was an awful business！ The only
son of the only Hallowell refused a degree in his father's
own private collegethe son of the man who had built the
Hallowell Memorial； the new Laboratory； the Anna Hallowell
Chapel； the Hallowell Dormitory； and the Hallowell Athletic
Field。 When on the bulletin board of the dim hall of the
Memorial to his departed grandfather Peter read of his own
disgrace and downfall； the light the stained…glass window
cast upon his nose was of no sicklier a green than was the
nose itself。 Not that Peter wanted an A。M。 or an A。B。； not
that he desired laurels he had not won； but because the young
man was afraid of his father。 And he had cause to be。 Father
arrived at Stillwater the next morning。 The interviews that
followed made Stillwater history。
〃My son is not an ass！〃 is what Hallowell senior is said to
have said to Doctor Black。 〃And if in four years you and your
faculty cannot give him the rudiments of an education； I will
send him to a college that can。 And I'l