Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-11-26
Tor ,ho Delaware Republican.

MIR, EpiroR.-I noticed in your issue Of the
18TH q communication over the signature OF !
uAlumnus," containing proposition TO re- y
move Delaware College to Wilmington. The ,
reasons for and advantage Of such removal as 1
stated by your correspondentare not suticient- l
| " strong and benefcal--even admitting them l
to be correct--to oyerbalance other consider
atoms.
On perusIng the communication, was led ,
to doubt that the writer was really an "Alum-
nus,'' since 1t appeares he is willing to give up
| all those associations connected with the
| place of ones education, and especially OF
graduation. More especially am led to doubt
il, because in the first sentence the writer be-
| trays an ignorance in respect TO the affairs oil
the College, In stating the number Of gradu-
ates for the last ten years to have been i've or
six, when the records show that during tnat
time fifty-four have become Alumni Of the IN
stitution.
cannot agree with the assertion ofNAlum-
nus" that "Delsware College Is uselessinsti-
tution.' True, the scholarship system has
been detrimentalj but il was not because oil
any evil in itself or because the system in the
7 abstract, no matter when applied ID pernicious.
There were three causes OF its failure. There
was, In tue FIRST place, bat one mantle pro-
poser-who properly unders God II In its bear
ing, and application, and who, If he had been
spared, would have brought the system to
| successful result l mean, of course, the la
mented Graham, who had, by permission OF
| the Buaid Of TRUSTEES, taken tho management |
VI AFFAIRS III MS own nhnusf anu WIN heu /
| agreed to supply the necessary number oil
competent instructions--his compensation
being the receipts of patronage TO the lnstitu-
ton. At the time OF his death there was every
prospect OF success. He had already increased
creased the number OF students to over double \
ever in the institution at one time. BY per-
sonal efforts, by considerable outlay OF his
private means, he had raised the College in
the estimation OF the people of the State
lie had purposes unreveaed, which he had
intended, had his life been spared, to carry
out; doubtless under his wise guidance, they
would have been successful; the inference
is supported by the fact then up to the time OF
his death his measure had succeeded. With
him, the system died, and immediate action
was taken 10 eradicate it-not in a moment,
not by single resolve of the Trustees, but
in process OF time, giving justice to the hold
ers OF scholarships that no one might feel ag-
grieved by the action OF the Board. am nap
py to announce that the eradication Is almost
complete and that period OF one month Will
end system, begun in good faith, with every
prospect of success, beneficial while its foun-
der lived, and while he could controlit by
such course OF action would have proved
its wisdom and benefit.
A second reason was that the whole amount
of subscription was never paid In, SO thai
while relying on the holders of scholarships fol-
payment, the Board compelled to draw
from the principal of the fund invested fol
the support Of the College, for necessary re
A third reason was an abuse OF the system
| by the transfer of coupons from the orfgina
scrip to persons not holding scholarships VIII
would Otherwise have paid the whole amour
OF tuition. Thus the tuition Ter Ion
term being sixteen dollars and student pur
chasing coupon for the term of three do
lars, would not only save for the time being
buL would, after graduation, be clear of an
extra copons--the scholarships extendin
over period OF twenty years.
aDuS6 II
though there was not on the face of the schc
arship any direct power and though the Ian
uage could not be so construed as to imp
any power in the holder of assigning or trar
fering coupons warrants, in practice, t
transfers were made and under a mistake
the import Of the language Of the scrip ]
ceived for tuition-thus taking out Of the rt
kets of the treasurer, at least twelve doll
on every coupon so sold, and making inve
ments in scholarships, an object of lucrat
speculation on the part of the holder
notwithstanding this system, SO mt
abused, though in some cases unintentiena
Delaware College has been and is by no mel
I" useless institution" During the per-
OF ten years TO which "Alumnus" iefers, hi
dreds OF students have received as good
education and have enjoyed as good adyan
ges as students in any other institution. I'll
have here received (and speak from perso
knoMlndge,) the first stimulus to emulat
~ and the first ambitious feelings to excel
they have dated their entrance into the in
tuition as the commencement of thor preps
ton iov uAsiuAnsas, and they nave reforred
this College as the source of their present
sitions. They have gone forth to the We
exemp larry in character thorough In intor
Her. in tion, and more than alspossessing the kno
thus cage mat " maketh wise unto saivatlo
which was here inculcated, which here gr
be the and which, in the prime of manhood left
glori- It's influence, anu went abroad TO exten
adj can among friends and acquaintances. VIII
before this period OF ten years have gone forth nj
o make young mon VINO nave AIDED III the support
cre are the College by their personal influence,
I'd some who are already prominent in the professi
icy de- they have chosen, and the pursuits they hi
rit adopted.
and Of wherein mas Delaware college been $50
lsed in less institution 7' Certainly not in its mo
is age influence. las II in intellectual
The word useless" will imply an inhn
they inequality OF advantages in comparison W
arding other Colleges. " Alumnus" admits that
knOwl- college has an extensive apparatlsi-thRt Il
wives apparatus is used in experiment and investig
Dme.- ton. give my own evidence. He adm
er the there is no lack of advantages from lncomI
eading te1cy OF instructors, and desire to add
after evidence this point. So far, too, from the
sweet being any advantage Of large cole
IRE is a ovOr our own, it is quite the contrary. In
which former student makes in the aggre &
elect about ten recitationsa term. Almost cert
ere not each day of not being called upon to reca
inc ed he neglects his studies, Z" trusting TO Pro
ii have dence" for particular part which by sol
As true wonderful occurrence he happens to know
In small institution, as with u.s. each stud
Y girls is called upon to recite daily, sometimes 81
The eral times in each day. And this with the re-
ling tatlon day the number here requsite) NAL
lniyer- quite different aggregate Of recitations
e that the end of the term. Here, too, the instr
wives tors guard the conduct the moral AS we'll
N with intellectual culture OF each student; ex
larriad cising over the student the authority VIII
ortuue respect and esteem always give, prOpos
lth he rules for government, conyersing frequently
to ac- various topics, encouraging those who dol
lie are restraining those who become too independ'
sven in and in short, acquainting themselves with
their habits and nclinations OF all the students
mt and Herein Delaware College does not fail.
take "Ths College has received large sum'
IT do it money" When and from whom7 1t is
that $50 600 were appropriated from mo
high paid for grants to sell lotteries in the State
nplish- found the institution, and to construct
v more buildings. This at least twenty-tl
lir CITY years ago, and the fact that the College
lsehold instituted upon money obtained in such
conse- unhallowed way has been the cause O.
/, aud failure in sono of ito dcSign5, Since that
en- they to my knowledge, not one cent has been
rectly or indirectly appropriated by the
ability, for the support or benefit Of tho College.
he friv- the contrary all the applications have
of for rejected. Three years ago. President X
caught wood applied personally for small appro
act with tiOn-and it was refused. Last winter II
dent Newlin used all his exertions to ei
farmers lish normal schOol-asking the State tC
Many hropriate So ,OO0-this appropriation to be
m lAa t,Ah .., .l.u. -