Elliot H. Goodwin

Elliot H. Goodwin was a nephew of Professor W. W. Goodwin, and was himself destined for professorial work. From that, however, he was drawn away; in due course he became secretary of the National Civil Service Reform League and of the New York Civil Service Reform Association, succeeding George McAneny. No one could resemble less than Goodwin the popular conception of uplifter or reformer. He had a joyous temperament, made hosts of friends, and moved in an inner circle of some of the most interesting young men of his time. He got on well even with the legislators, among whom, though he was always tactful, he never failed in courage. From civil service reform work Goodwin turned to the United States Chamber of Commerce, of which he was executive vice-president, and there he did effective work between 1912 and 1927. From Washington he went to Massachusetts, where he was chairman of the State Civil Service Commission during the rest of his career.

Alexander Dana Noyes
1932 Century Association Yearbook