Talk:Walter M. Geddes

Early life

Re: "In 1912 he became a solicitor for Peters, Byrne & Company who were tree surgeons in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[3][4] He continued his education by studying landscape architecture at Harvard University until March 1913." I can't check the source cited as it is offline. I don't understand how he could be in Pittsburgh and Harvard in Massachusetts at the same time. His obit says: "As a member of the Class of 1911 S, he took the forestry course, and after receiving his Ph B, he continued his studies in the Yale School of Forestry for a year, being graduated with the degree of M F in 1912. In July of that year, he entered the employ of Peters, Byrne & Company, tree surgeons of Pittsburgh." I wonder if the source cited has not confused Yale and Harvard re his post-graduate studies, which were completed before he started working in 1912? HelenOnline 21:39, 20 July 2013 (UTC)

Well the issue here is more tied to exactly WHEN he started his studies at Harvard. Since I don't have much information on that other than the fact that he obviously studied after graduating Yale, I can remove the sentence entirely. However, I being a solicitor doesn't necessarily mean you must work out of the city when the company is headquartered at. So it can easily make sense that he may have studied and solicited at the same time. Proudbolsahye (talk) 21:43, 20 July 2013 (UTC)

Can you provide a quote from the source cited in this regard? (I cannot access much via Google Books unfortunately.) Otherwise, I would prefer that you remove it. HelenOnline 22:07, 20 July 2013 (UTC)

I prefer just handing you the quotation directly through here.

Geddes was class secretary of 1912, and after graduation studied landscape architecture at Harvard until March 1913, when he decided to enter the licorice business which his father had established, and sailed with his wife for Asia Minor, where their son was born in Damascus.

If this is reasonable enough, can you please remove the notification? I don't think adding such a notification is necessary, especially when the quote can be verifiable. Proudbolsahye (talk) 22:14, 20 July 2013 (UTC)

Thanks for the quote. The tag is for your benefit (makes it easier for you to see what I am talking about), so please don't take offence. I am not doing it to be difficult. I am reviewing your DYK nomination, hence the fine toothcomb. As it stands, I would comment on this in your nomination review and it might hold it up. The sources seem to contradict each other, perhaps there was confusion over whether he went to Pittsburgh or Harvard. I would pick one story and stick with it. HelenOnline 22:34, 20 July 2013 (UTC)

That's fine. If you truly believe this harms the DYK process, feel free to let me know at the nomination page. Proudbolsahye (talk) 22:50, 20 July 2013 (UTC)