nglish Manor House

aron Von Lodge was the head of a small country known as Lilliland near Switzerland. The time was the early 1900s.

The Baron and his fiancée Lady Angela of Alpine Castle had often expressed their gratitude for the fine work their chief advisor Professor Hamblin had done over the years. The Professor had helped Lilliland steer a straight course through some rocky times including remaining a neutral country during the Great War. His skills in problem solving and research had proven time and time again to be invaluable.

The Baron often expressed to Lady Angela that he wished he could do something to show the Professor what a loyal teacher, counselor and friend he had been.

Professor Hamblin often spoke fondly of his years of service on the faculty of Cambridge University in England. Had the Baron’s father not convinced him to come to Lilliland to educate the young Baron and Lady Angela, he surely would have stayed at Cambridge.

Professor Hamblin kept in touch with some of his colleagues. They were retired but wanted to keep active in the academic field, but with the small retirement pay they received, it was difficult for them to get by.

One day the Baron received word from an attorney in England that a distant relative had passed away and was told he would inherit a manor house in the English countryside. It was well situated on a large piece of land and was a quiet and tranquil place.

The Baron conferred with Professor Hamblin about the manor house. The Baron wanted the Professor to appoint a manager for the manor house and invite all of his retired colleagues to come and live there.

There were just a few conditions. The guests would have to be retired faculty who the Professor personally knew. They would have to remain active in each one’s academic field and be able to contribute to the future of civilization. They could stay in the manor house and not worry about having a roof of their heads, food, or bothersome bill collectors.

The English manor house plan put into effect by Professor Hamblin was an instant success. From then on, a lot of scholars were able to be active and productive well into their later years. Professor Hamblin considered this to be a gift from the heart and thanked the Baron in humble appreciation.