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106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. RES. 355

Commending and congratulating Middlebury College.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

SEPTEMBER 12, 2000

Mr. LEAHY (for himself and Mr. JEFFORDS) submitted the following

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

RESOLUTION

Commending and congratulating Middlebury College.

Whereas in the fall of 1800, a group of distinguished

Vermonters, including Jeremiah Atwater, Nathaniel

Chipman, Herman Ball, Elijah Paine, Gamaliel Painter,

Israel Smith, Stephen R. Bradley, Seth Storrs, Stephen

Jacob, Daniel Chipman, Lot Hall, Aaron Leeland,

Gershom C. Lyman, Samuel Miller, Jedediah P. Buckingham, and Darius Matthews, petitioned the Vermont General Assembly for the establishment of a new institution

of higher education in the town of Middlebury, Vermont;

Whereas on November 1, 1800, the Vermont General Assembly adopted a law to establish a college in Middlebury

and named this group of distinguished Vermonters to be

known as ‘‘the President and fellows of Middlebury college’’, and designated Jeremiah Atwater as the new college’s first President;
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•SRES 355 IS

Whereas on November 5, 1800, less than 1 week after receiving its Charter, Middlebury College opened its doors to

7 students and 1 professor using space at the local grammar school for instruction;

Whereas by 1810, the college had grown to 110 students and

needed space of its own, and the campus of Middlebury

College was built, and on May 19, 2000, the United

States Postal Service issued postcards to commemorate

the Old Stone Row and the first 3 buildings of the

Middlebury College campus;

Whereas over the last 2 centuries, Middlebury College has

evolved from 1 of the first colleges in the United States

into 1 of the most respected liberal arts colleges in the

Nation, with more than 2,000 students, almost 200 professors, and a main campus of over 250 acres;

Whereas the Middlebury College Bicentennial Planning Commission has designed Celebration 2000 to commemorate

this milestone in Vermont’s and the Nation’s educational

history;

Whereas this bicentennial is a celebration honoring the people

and events that have made and continue to make

Middlebury College a leader in higher education;

Whereas Celebration 2000 features concerts, plays, and

symposia, both on campus and at additional locations

such as the New York Public Library, and the dedication

of a new science building, Bicentennial Hall, with an exterior that resembles the Old Stone Row and the early

architectural history of this 200-year-old school; and

Whereas the year-long celebration of 2 centuries of quality

higher education will culminate during Founders’ Week,

November 1st through 5th, 2000, when a variety of
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events will occur in honor of Middlebury, the college, and

Middlebury, the college’s town: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That—

2 (1) the Senate commends and congratulates

3 Middlebury College on the completion of its first 200

4 years of educational excellence and wishes the col5 lege continued success as it commences a third cen6 tury of educational opportunity and leadership; and

7 (2) the Secretary of the Senate shall send a

8 copy of this resolution to the Middlebury College

9 President, John M. McCardell, Jr.

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