Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1851-07-30
REFORM IN HARVARD COLLEGE.

inent, or will be regarded hereafter as more puo-
licy beneficial, than the reform in the govern"
ment of Harvard University. Though some
what distinct in its nature, when politically view
ed from the other leading measures OF the ses-
sion, yet it partakes in high degree, OF pub
lie character and interest," and is destined, we be-
lieve to shed the most extensive and benign In
hucnces, not only upon our own community,
but upon New England at large, and even the
Union itself.
II is well known that for years this ancient
and munificent institution, which the venerated
fathers of New England designed and character
lied in its establishment as "a house OF learn
ing for the education Of the people," has been
the subject ola rigid conservatism inpublic econ
omy and literature stongly sectarian in morals
and religion, unfavorable in its facilities for
knowledge and instruction, from its exclusive
and expensive policy and administration, and
dead in its pulsations with the popular sympa-
thies and impulses, and the progressive spirit
and tendencies of the age. Founded by the
State, and endowed and cherished freely and
warmly by its liberaliy, from its earliest exist
ence, it had become an object of complaint and
distrust to the people from the causes we have
mentioned and though large majority of the
citizens of the state have long desired an nfu-
sion of popular feeling and spirit in its govern
ment and policy, yet the garb Of constitutional
sanctity in which it had assumed to enfold itself,
and the web of legal techncalities which it had
drawn around it, seemed to hedge up the way
of reforming it with most imposing difficulties,
and disheartened the public mind from engaging
actively and unitedly in the attempt.
Until the passage of the act of last session,
recognizing the Board of Overseers of the Uni
yersity, its government was lodged in Board
of Overseers consisting of the Governor, Lieut.
Governor the Senate of the State, the Cover
nor's Council, Speaker Of the House, the Presi-
dent of the College, elected by the College cor
poration, and thirty permanent members, fifteen
clerical and fifteen lay, elected by the Board of
Overseers themselves as vacancies occurred, and
holding their places by n life tenure, or during
good behavior-thus placing the College in
most remote and imperfect relation to the peo-
pie, and through which their views, wishes and
feelings could be but feebly and nadequately
exercised and made of any practical and sauta-
~ effect. BY the new enactment, the Board of
Overseers is to consist of the Governor, the
Lieut.. Governor, President of the Senate, Speak
er of the House, the Secretary Of the Board of
Education, the President and Treasurer of the
College fo' the time being, and thirty elective
members chosen by the Legislature from the
State at large, irrespective of lay or clerical
character, in conformity to the number elected
by the Board ofOverseers under the former sys-
tem--ten of which number are to be elected an
nually, commencing with the next Legislature,
and to be so elected annually, by tens, until the
present thirty members elected permanently by
the old Beard of Overseers shall have been
wholly displaced, after which the said thirty cleo
tive members are to be sub-divided into six
classes Of five each, one Of which class is there
afterwards to go out of Office annually, and their
number and places TO be supplied by each ann
ual Legislature, TO be chosen in joint conven-
ton of both branches from the ranks Of the
people.
Under the new system, the government of the
College will be brought most directly under the
control Of the people of the State through the
medium of their legislative agents, and can be
made the true and regular index and reflection
of the popular feeling and scntimcnt--w whereby
The Institution will become, in accordance with
the design of its worthy and devoted founders,
aud with the will of the people Of the State as
expressed through their Legislators in 1897 tie
efficient nursery of Z" the principles of piety, Gum
tainted by sectaranism,) justice and sacred re-
gard to truth, love ofcountry, humanity, and uni
versal benevoence, sobriety, moderation and
temperance, and those other virtues which are
the ornament Of human society, and the basis
Npon WHlCH iuc TcpuUliCdH CuHotituLiOh ID louii-
ded"
The great, benefcent and truly philanthropc
change in the government of the University has
been accomplished only by years Of most active
labor and importunate solicitation with the leg
islative power Of the State, on the part of sim
gle individual, Rev. Rodney A. Miller, of the city
of Worcester. Mr. Miller we believe, is ma
tive of the State of New York, but has long
been citizen Of Massachusetts, and resident
in Worcester, and was for many years pastor of
the First Congregational Society in this place.
lie is q gentleman Of strong native endowment,
Of great moral courage and energy, of sound
popular and progressive principles, a scholar of
substantial and fine classical attainments, and in
his religious tenets an aren't, consistent, and in
flexible disciple of the old Puritan school. In
the winter of lS43 he was chosen member of
the Board Of Oyersee-s of Harvard College
Upon entering upon his duties in that capacity,
he soon became sensible Of the true govern
mental condition and popular deficiencies of
the coiiege-of its sectarian perversion and
cndencics-of its expensive and necessarily ex-
elusive character and administration, its limited
number of students, and its rapidly decreasing
complement of graduates. He Immediately took
upon himself the labor of endeavoring to restore
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