Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1824-03-24
communicating.
AMHERST COLLEGE.

Ills oelleVeds that the citizens of this
County, as a body, have not int rested
themselves in the Institution at Amherst.
so much as might be expected from
their local situation, and their influence
in the Commonwealth.
This County furnishes nearly 100
College Students, most of whom are
now in Colleges of other States, and it
is probable that this number will in
crease from year to year. 1t cannot
therefore, be deemed an object of small
Importance u have College in an ad-
joining County equal in responsibility to
those in which most of our students are
now educated, and if such College is
now in successful operation, it must ap-
pear to unprejudiced and rejecting
minds exceedingly strange, that it is moi
cheertnlly acknowledged as such by
the authorities of the state and that law
which makes it duty to LOVE OUR NEIGH
BORIS AS OURSELVES, and TO feel interested
in their welfare, surely may require of
US, at least, a careful and candid exam
NATION OF this subject.
Suppose, that JOHN Hancock had left
Legacy of 100000 for the establish
ment OF College at Worcester and
nominated his Trustees; would it not
have been competent in them to apply
Immediately for an act of incorporation {?
and would the Legislature have hesitat-
ed moment whether or not to give
them power to carry into effect the
will Of the donor Would they have
asked whether it was judicious and ex-
Pedient for him thus to have beoueafh-
ed his property? Certainly not. But
suppose the Trustees had done more
that they had erected two magnificent
College Buildings and Presidents
House, and procured all the literary ap-
Paratus necessary in College-had APP
pointed President, and a competent
number of Professors and Tutors. who
were already interesting 1876 students
in an elevated and honorable Course
and suppose that after all this prepara-
ton the Trustees still had in their DOS
session residue of the Legacy to the
amount of so or 60 thousand dollars.
the interest of which, by paying the
tuition ofthe charity students, together
with the income from the tuition of
others, would forever support as great
number of Instructors as could be de.
slrable-and suppose further, that, I'M
der such circumstances, they had applied
for common College Charter-would
not all the people say, that madness
was in the heart of the Legislature if
they refused this reasonable request ?
Now, for my life, Mr.. Editor. cannot
see any essential difference between the
situation of these supposed Trustees of
JOHN HANCOCK, and the situation of the
real Trustees who have the manage
ment OF Amherst ColIege---except, that
The latter living as they do in several
different Counties, have nevertheless.
many ofthem, made personal sacrifices
for the Institution, and are thus entitled to
the gratitude ofthe Public, as we'll as
to the privileges of the constitution
| have had the opportunity of noticing,
that several Editors in other States
from Virginia to Maine, have expressed
their establishment at the impolitic course
pursued by our Legislature in relation
to this subject and if this College is
permitted to go on from year to year
without charter, receiving students,
as it does, from various parts OF the,
Union, the fact will become generally
known, and the government of this
Commonwealth will lose that high rep
utatioh for the encouragement Of Liter
airy Institutions, which she has hither-
to sustained. 1t is, therefore, to be
hoped that thoseswho regard the hon.
our ofthe State and the interest of its
citizens will think of this subject in
making their choice of senators and
Representatives.
GENERAL INTEREST.