Frank Norris Remembered

1. Philip King Brown

1 / Philip King Brown A native Californian, Philip King Brown (1869–1940) was a member of the first class to graduate in 1886 from Belmont School for Boys, which Frank Norris also attended for a short time in 1885. Belmont’s founder, William Thomas Reid (1843–1922), a former teacher at Boys’ High School in San Francisco, retired as president of the University of California and opened the semimilitary institution to prepare young men to gain admission to Harvard College. Located south of San Francisco on the former estate of banker and industrialist William Chap­ man Ralston (1826–1875), Belmont immediately attracted the interest of wealthy San Franciscans with aspirations for their male offspring. Ful­ filling ­ Reid’s vision , Brown did matriculate at Harvard, where he received his MD in 1893, after­ ward becoming a progressive physician, specializing in treating diseases of the heart and lung. As is the case with other reminiscences, Brown’s response to Franklin Walker indicates the impact Norris apparently had upon those he met, many of whom, like Brown, could recall in surprising detail their sometimes slight association with him not only after many years but of­ ten also after a fairly brief acquaintance. Source: Philip King Brown to Franklin D. Walker, letter, Oc­ to­ ber 7, 1930, Franklin Dickerson Walker Papers, BANC MSS C-­H 79, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berke­ ley. Dear Mr. Walker, The Belmont School was founded by W. T. Reid, formerly president of the University of California, in 1885 & opened that fall at the old Ralston place at Belmont with about 25 scholars. Frank Norris didn’t join till later & was not in my class as he was somewhat younger. The first class was made up of M. C. Sloss, Summit Louis Hecht, F. L. DeLong & myself. The next class was made up of A. L. Bancroft, Charles Adams & Frank Norris together with a few others whose names I do not now remember. There was thus 1 year’s difference in preparation for Harvard & U.C. & all the first class went to Harvard.1 12 / Frank Norris Remembered Frank Norris broke his arm playing football & I brought him to town. He lived on Sacramento St., north side, between Van Ness & Franklin. His mother was a very brilliant woman & for years in her later life was the leader of the Browning Society. The father was a successful business man—a jeweler I think.2 Mrs. Norris, the mother, was a patient of mine for many years & until his death I kept up some relation to Frank. He was brilliant as was the mother, very quiet, full of dry humor & eccentric rather aiming to draw fire for the sake of arousing acute discussion. He was indifferent to all that did not interest him & gave the impression of being physically lazy. He had great charm & was popu­lar. I was away most of the time after that first year till about 1896. You could get some facts from Bruce Porter, Santa Barbara, & Gelett Burgess whose present whereabouts I do not know. J. O’Hara Cosgrave, Porter Garnett (Berke­ley), Willis Polk (now dead) all belonged to the later group of literary lights who met occasionally at dinner.3 I think I could find a menu of a birthday dinner to Gelett Burgess (“Purple Cow,” Goops, The Lark) served by the crowd. If I can uncover it I’ll send it to you provided it is promptly returned.4 Yours truly, Philip King Brown ...