JEAN CULBERT PALMER
1872 - 1929
In the death of Jean Culbert Palmer the Faculty of
Vassar College have suffered a grievous loss. To
all who knew her she was a friend of warm sympathy,
modest in valuing her own achievements, keenly con-
cerned for the happiness of those about her.
A gracious manner, which was in her the expression
of a generous spirit, gave charm to any gathering
of which she was a member and lent distinction to
her every act. Never too hurried to give ear to
those in trouble, great or small, she was ever ready
with wise counsel. We sought her in the sure sense
that her kindly sympathy and friendly understanding
would not fail. Her buoyancy and gaiety of spirit
radiated good cheer and friendliness wherever she
went, and her lively sense of humor and zest for life
were a source of constant enjoyment to all who came
in contact with her. Hers was a true sociability of
the spirit, springing from a genuine liking for peo-
ple and an unstinted giving out of the treasures of
her rich personality.
In her keen enjoyment of what might have been tasks
or stern duties she made of every day living a fine
art. To the last, even through months of painful
illness, her vivid personality was never dimmed nor
did her brave spirit fail. She fought the good fight
with the courage and faith that were always hers.
As Warden of the College from 1915 to the time of her
death on July ll, 1929, she was ever a harmonizer be-
tween the older code of courtesy and the newer demands
of freedom. She was a unifying force between academic
traditions on the one hand, and the interests of social
living in its widest sense on the other. We cherish,
therefore, her fourteen years of life and work among
us as one of the imperishable endowments of Vassar
College.
G. Mildred Thompson
Mary MacColl
Helen S. Banfield
VIII - 342