Lancaster M. Greene

Sydney M. Mayers

[Reprinted from the Henry George News, March, 1974]

Webster's Collegiate defines the word "vital" as "full of life and vigor," so when one refers to the vital statistics concerning Lancaster M. Greene, the adjective is quite appropriate. Since his birth in 1901, his vim and energy have been among his most characteristic qualities. Happily, a considerable portion of these years have been devoted to teaching and otherwise promoting the philosophy of Henry George.

As early as 1919, when he was Standard Bearer at Fast High School in Rochester, New York, Mr. Greene had already shown a bent toward the field of banking and investment. He worked for a time at the Livingston County Trust Company even before entering Williams College, where he took his B.A. in 1923, and made the varsity ski and soccer teams. In 1922 he and his brother Norvin started a Chase National Bank college training program, and after graduation they began their careers. The investment firm of Lancaster & Norvin Greene was formed in 1927, and still continues actively, though its emphasis nowadays is on investment counseling.

George Rusby, an investment client Lancaster M. Greene met in 1925, discussed Henry George every time the two got together, and in 1934 persuaded him to take a course at the Henry George School, which had been founded two years before by Oscar Geiger. Mr. Greene recalls that at his commencement dinner he urged other class speakers to address their remarks to land value taxation, not only to their fine teachers. He was then invited by Otto K. Dorn to attend the teachers' training course, and in 1935 he began teaching classes at the School.

Mr. Greene taught two or three days a week for seventeen years, during which time he developed and inspired many teachers. His teaching ability has always been highly esteemed, especially by his fellow faculty members, because of his skill, his enthusiasm, and his knowledge of the subject. Anna George DeMille proposed him for the Board of Trustees, and Leonard Recker, his training teacher, convinced him he should accept the office. Charles O'Connor Henessy, president of the Robert Schalkenbach Foundation, prevailed on him to attend an international economic conference in London, to recommend Henry George Schools to people from the United Kingdom, Australia, Holland, France, and Germany. The effort was a success, and when Mr. Henessy died, he left his estate to the Henry George School, as he had promised Mr. Greene he would do.

Lawson Purdy, the new president, asked Lancaster M. Greene to join its Board, and to help George Rusby and Thomas A. Larkin to rebuild its finances, which has been crippled by the depression. Mr. Greene accepted, and soon became vice-president of the Henry George School and of the Robert Schalkenbach Foundation. During his tenure, the School has successively been headed by Directors Otto K. Dorn, Frank Chodorov, Margaret Bateman, and Robert Clancy; President Arnold A. Weinstein, and Acting Director Stanley Rubenstein.

When the growing Henry George School needed more space than was available at its 79th Street quarters, Gilbert Tucker pointed out it would be wiser to buy a building than to rent one. Accordingly, a small building was acquired on Fast 29th Street in 1938, which the School occupied until 1944, when it was sold and the present Fast 69th Street building purchased. Mr. Greene, who with his colleagues on the Board took part in these transactions, observes that interestingly, perhaps intriguingly (for obvious reasons), the School sold the 29th Street premises for ~40,000 more than it had paid, and has been offered many times the purchase price for its 69th Street building.

Early in its history, John C. Lincoln became deeply interested in the Henry George School, and for many years supported it actively and generously, becoming its president in 1947, when Anna George DeMille died.

In 1937 Will Lissner started The Freeman, which later became the Henry George News, with Lancaster M. Greene as Chairman of its Publication Committee. A frequent contributor to its columns. Mr. Greene believes enthusiastically in filling the need for communication with past students and others interested in the philosophy of freedom.

Mr. Greene has attended most of the annual Henry George School conferences, including those hosted by various School extensions, as well as many conferences sponsored by the International Union for Land Value Taxation and Free Trade. He has worked closely with each management of the School in an endeavor to improve its educational thrust. In 1969, at that year's Henry George School conference, he received the first annual achievement award, which reads. "Presented to Lancaster M. Greene for distinguished services as an officer and trustee." The award and its sentiment were well-earned and welldeserved, and still are, for "Lanc" Greene is an extraordinary Georgist.