Today,  we  ask your  indulgence as  we write about a  friend, a  very special  friend, we think, of  this   entire Swiss American community.

  Edwin P. Barlow was a rare  person, a man of fine qualities,  a scholar  largely self taught  through his   travels and  studies of  people and  above all,  ever loyal to his heritage  and  to his  fellowmen in  this   unique area of the nation.

  He could extend  the warm  hand of friendship to those in whom he  found a  responding feeling.   And   yet, he always kept something in reserve, a quiet manner of withdrawing to avoid resumption  on such   friendships.

  We like to think those  periods  of retreat  from close companionship were a sort of  self-effacment to   avoid intrusion on the lives of those he enjoyed and also for a sort of serene re-appraisal of the things   which went on around him. 

  He  was never modest to a fault but his gracious manner permitted  an  appearance of  infallible confidence  in the rightness of things as he saw them.   He preferred to  guide and inspire, to  counsel when asked and to help in any way even when that aid was not solicited.

  Edwin  Barlow had a sound belief, developed from  his intensive study of  people and life, that his was    an  obligation to  help those deserving of that extra  bit of  kindliness which he  himself had enjoyed in   troubled years.   He had that same attitude toward  traditions and  institutions which he believed to be   worthy of perpetuation.

  That,  we think, explains why  Edwin  Barlow found such great satrisfaction  in aiding so  many  young   people in  their first steps  forward, and why he worked with such enthusiasm and patience to rekindle   in New Glarus a high feeling of pride in the fine things of Swiss culture and tradition.

  At the same time,  Mr. Barlow knew that there comes a time  when the teacher, the counselor and the   sponsor must  step aside to permit those who were helped to find their own way, to insure that revived   traditions and customs could proceed on their own momentum.

  In a way, perhaps,  that explains  why  he chose to  relinquish  his work with the William Tell pageant,   which  he helped to found.  It  also explains to some  degree, why he advanced the  time  when his fine   Chalet of  the Golden  Fleece-- together with  his  treasured collection --  should be turned over to the   village of New Glarus.

  We know,  of course, that  ill health  had  much to do with  those decisions.  But, we feel,  the  primary   reason was that he felt  the time had  come when those  he had inspired should prove they could carry   out the objectives.

  Edwin Barlow  was selfish  only in his devotion to close friends.   He was ever ready to share his time,   his  substance with  those frineds.   He  never, however, was  patient  with any attempt  to  change  his   evaluation of those in whom he entrusted his confidence and his thoughts.

  There are some who feel that  his amicable  attachments often caused unconscious  impositions on his   time and his energies.   We doubt Edwin Barlow  ever  worried about that point.  He was  wise enough   and possessed sufficient sophistication to rectify that situation whenever it might develop.

  The village of New Glarus never,  we suppose, will be able to evaluate  what the years  Edwin Barlow   spent there meant to the community and its future.  We are certain, however, that New Glarus, Green   County, and all of  Southwestern Wisconsin  will  enjoy the benefits of  the attention he brought to this   area. 

  His life and his  activites  were merely  legendary to most residents of  our community.   His contributions and his benefactions, however, will last a long,  long time.  He blazed a trail, he  showed the way.   Now, it is up to us to see  whether  we can develop and improve on the objectives he pointed out.  We have, of course, written only of a few of Edwin Barlow's many facets in this column. 

  Our own cherished  memory  will be of the  quality of cordiality and warmth  he extended  to us  in our   acquaintanceship  over the past decade.  Only a few short days ago, we were taking leave of him after   a  farewell gathering  in  connection  with  what we though was  to be  his early  return  to  Switzerland. 

  Edwin Barlow shook  hands warmly  and said,  with what now  seems to be a premonition, "Thanks for   your good friendship."

  If you knew Edwin Barlow, you can  understand that.    If you never had that good fortune, you missed   something very precious, something now beyond realization forever because of his departure.

  Thanks, for bearing with us in this last tribute to a wonderful person.