Harvey J. Sarles

1993 Bell Ringer Award

You found your way to College Hill in 1926 from the town of Liberty in the Catskills. Here you fenced, played soccer, and demonstrated your skills on the tennis court, becoming captain of the varsity team.

An English literature major at Hamilton, you bravely went into banking during the Depression years, acquired an M.A. in economics from Columbia, and taught the “dismal science” for a time at Brown. When the national economic gloom began to lift, you pursued with great success a career in investment banking in Little Rhody, the Ocean State. President of the Business Development Company of Rhode Island, you subsequently served as president and chief executive officer of the Narragansett Capital Corporation.

All the while, you remained a devoted son of Hamilton, and as early proof, we have a letter of yours to “Wally” Johnson, written just weeks after your graduation in 1930, which begins: “Enclosed please find a small check for the Wood Memorial Scholarship.” Later, you faithfully served as reunion gift chairman and capital campaign volunteer, and established at the College the Jacqueline Gage Sarles Book Fund in memory of your beloved wife. Above all, for the past dozen years you have made possible the annual alumni get-togethers in Rhode Island, helping to raise the buff and blue banner high in that corner of New England. On your odyssey from Liberty via this hill to Providence, you have continued steadfast in your loyalty, and for that we proudly salute you.

Citation presented by
President, Alumni Association
June 5, 1993