TRUE STory

**MaxandMe** · 09-05-2007, 06:24 PM

thought i'd share this True Story with y'all

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 & probably didn't even deserve to be in Cambridge. "We'd like to see the president," the man said softly. "He will be busy all day," the secretary snapped. "We will wait," the lady replied.

For hours the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go away. 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 toward 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 cost 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, traveling 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

I hope to keep this in mind if i ever go to judge people.

Raleighsmom · 09-05-2007, 09:01 PM

Just goes to show that you should never judge a book by it's cover!!!
Even tho we've all been guilty of it...

blueteal · 09-05-2007, 11:32 PM

A good lesson for all
Nuff said.

seazr · 09-06-2007, 12:42 AM

annabelles mom · 09-07-2007, 02:40 PM

wonderful story

Tink · 09-07-2007, 03:38 PM

Totally great story and lesson.

I saw the same thing when I was working as a realtor. A couple came in asking about hobby farms and looked like they'd have trouble scraping together a down payment.
They ended up buying 160 acres of vacant land and built a $300,000 house on it without so much as flinching. In total they spent over $400,000 on their "hobby farm".

Back then the average house in the area was about $60,000 and land was $500 an acre. LOL

**MaxandMe** · 09-07-2007, 05:03 PM

I really LOVE hearing everyone's stories. AS it also humblizes us at the same time.

i remember 10years ago a guy coming into my landscape job covered in paint with a beat up old truck NOW whether you spend $20, $200 or $2000 I give everyone the same service.
Long story short: what I didn't know was no one would help this guy cuase of the way he looked at the time, He was the owner of a major company and property management business. HE bought $2500 worth of trees from me

and lived on a huge estate. He was helping out his crew that day as they were short handed

Cinsmom · 09-07-2007, 08:04 PM

Our minister at the church where I belong once had a good friend of his dress like a bum just to see what would happen. As it turned out this "bum" was a very prominent lawyer and he really fooled a lot of people.

And just in case you're wondering, yes a lot of people greeted him. They were really shocked to find out who he was!

sandy · 09-07-2007, 11:08 PM

Sorry! The Harvard/Stanford story sounds wonderful, but according to Snopes (the Urban Legends page), it's not true. I love all the other stories people have posted here, though! I think I'm slowly learning not to quickly judge people by outward appearances. It's too easy to be wrong!

**MaxandMe** · 09-07-2007, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandy

Sorry! The Harvard/Stanford story sounds wonderful, but according to Snopes (the Urban Legends page), it's not true. I love all the other stories people have posted here, though! I think I'm slowly learning not to quickly judge people by outward appearances. It's too easy to be wrong!

whether its TRUE OR NOT, it is neat as it teaches us not to judge other people

09-05-2007, 06:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
MaxandMe Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Upstate, NY Posts: 15,103	TRUE STory thought i'd share this True Story with y'all 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 & probably didn't even deserve to be in Cambridge. "We'd like to see the president," the man said softly. "He will be busy all day," the secretary snapped. "We will wait," the lady replied. For hours the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go away. 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 toward 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 cost 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, traveling 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 I hope to keep this in mind if i ever go to judge people. __________________ *Annmarie, Max,& Peanut* "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." Anatole France uncondtional love: what a dog always does for us and humans strive to do but can we?

09-05-2007, 09:01 PM	#2 (permalink)
Raleighsmom Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: South Windsor,Ct Posts: 4,617	Just goes to show that you should never judge a book by it's cover!!! Even tho we've all been guilty of it... __________________ Kathie,Raleigh & Molly! "Who can believe that there is no soul behind those luminous eyes!" ~ Theophile Gautier

09-06-2007, 12:42 AM	#4 (permalink)
seazr Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Sacramento Posts: 2,971	__________________ Diane (and Dakota) http://s42.photobucket.com/albums/e304/seazr/

09-07-2007, 03:38 PM	#6 (permalink)
Tink Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: West central Wisconsin Posts: 2,506	Totally great story and lesson. I saw the same thing when I was working as a realtor. A couple came in asking about hobby farms and looked like they'd have trouble scraping together a down payment. They ended up buying 160 acres of vacant land and built a $300,000 house on it without so much as flinching. In total they spent over $400,000 on their "hobby farm". Back then the average house in the area was about $60,000 and land was $500 an acre. LOL __________________ www.tinkerdoodle.net Hickory, Ava, Hana, Misty, and Chip (happy master of his Harem)

09-07-2007, 05:03 PM	#7 (permalink)
MaxandMe Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Upstate, NY Posts: 15,103	I really LOVE hearing everyone's stories. AS it also humblizes us at the same time. i remember 10years ago a guy coming into my landscape job covered in paint with a beat up old truck NOW whether you spend $20, $200 or $2000 I give everyone the same service. Long story short: what I didn't know was no one would help this guy cuase of the way he looked at the time, He was the owner of a major company and property management business. HE bought $2500 worth of trees from me and lived on a huge estate. He was helping out his crew that day as they were short handed __________________ *Annmarie, Max,& Peanut* "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." Anatole France uncondtional love: what a dog always does for us and humans strive to do but can we?

09-05-2007, 11:32 PM	#3 (permalink)
blueteal Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 8,334	A good lesson for all Nuff said.

09-07-2007, 02:40 PM	#5 (permalink)
annabelles mom Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: lkkkkkkkkkkkkk Posts: 6,837	wonderful story

09-07-2007, 08:04 PM	#8 (permalink)
Cinsmom Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: KC area Posts: 2,499	Our minister at the church where I belong once had a good friend of his dress like a bum just to see what would happen. As it turned out this "bum" was a very prominent lawyer and he really fooled a lot of people. And just in case you're wondering, yes a lot of people greeted him. They were really shocked to find out who he was! __________________ Becky & Cinnamon http://safeharborprisondogs.com

09-07-2007, 11:08 PM	#9 (permalink)
sandy Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Carolina Posts: 448	Sorry! The Harvard/Stanford story sounds wonderful, but according to Snopes (the Urban Legends page), it's not true. I love all the other stories people have posted here, though! I think I'm slowly learning not to quickly judge people by outward appearances. It's too easy to be wrong! __________________ Sandy and Nicky the Doodle

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