New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-12-26
YALE COLLEGE.
THE RESIGNATION or PRESIDENT wo0LsEY-IIIs
COURSE or GOvERNMENT-WHO WILL Sue
CFFD HIM.

forth In connection with Dr. Pickerings heateu eoh'ro
ycrsy with Young Yale have impaired increased ANNA
ton and interest to the discussions with reference to the
past and future OF the College. The reasons lor 'hS
action of the President to he that he has hed he
poson for quarter Of century and feels entitled To
release from the oneous duties Of his Office IN order
that he may devote himself entirely to his faVorte
Investigations into history and political science; thcn
too no reached that age when men usually resign an
active control Of affair." and possibly he shrlhhS lro"
entering upon the solution Of the difficulties which are
now arising and which must be solved by his successor
viz OF harmonizng the various departments whch nave
so grown and prospercd under his administration INTO
University The idea given out by certain Journals that
ne has resigned under the pressure OF friendly advice
il entirely without foundation The step has been long
thought Of aud he announced to the graduating class OF
1862 and again last Summer that when they returned on
their trenna visit another than himself would be occu
pying his chair.
The Incidents in President Wooseys quiet life are ooh
told Born in NewYork city in 1901 his father success
full merchant and his mother sister OF President
Dwight of Yale he entered College in 1876 and after the
usual years courewas graduated at the head OF MS
class. He then read law for short time III fhlauepm
as part Of his plan OF liberal education. Certainly
was with design to fathom the intrcacies OF PenTy
vapa law and to attain the acuteness OF the iarlaeu
Philadelphia lawyer for nc has mentioned that 1t was AT
this time that he fret read Pufendorf lie then studied
Princeton after which he was for time tutor In Yale
In SIT he went Europe for study and upon his return
in 1884, was made Professor of Greek Ii was during MS
second in Europe In 1896 that he received the
first ination that the corporation intended him rs the
successor OF President Day, and Mr. Henry Stevens at
the request of Prof. Kingsley, secured from him the
promise that he would at least not refuse the Office until
his return America Upon his arrival here he yielded
to the earnest solicitations Of President Day and
Professor Kingsley and accepted the trust Two other
candidates at that time prominently mentioned;
Prof. Slliman, SEN. and DR.. Bacon but the quiet
Greek professor the choice of the Faculty and the
corporation cordially ratified it, There some talk
among the oyer-zca0us religious papers of that day
about the Improperly Of ornng him minister first,
and then installing him president, which, it was
claimed was degradation Of The ministerial Office for,
they said the order should have been, first "inaug
rate and then "ordaD." as the d" crowning glory
The exercises the October day when he assumed the
responsibilities OF Christian minister and head OF the
College were heightened In interest from the fact that DR..
Bacon, his classmatc OF former years and presumed
rival preached the ordination sermon.
"If," said he. lin the Grammar school. when first
met yOu thrccand thirty years n had been told by
prophetic voice that one ~ those scholars "od DC
President OF Yale College. the master and the pupils
would have thought of none other than that brghte!ed
in that hour. when and our College classmates went
forth together from this house rs graduates 1t had been
announced that one Of the class Of l,!O would ic
pTiRCeDS-whUse voice bad just spoken our farewell 10
each other and To our alma mater"
The force Of this fine praise little diminished bya
passage which followed aud which, elders say
stoned not little angry criticism the lime. "Aud yet
YOU feel know-aud will not deny that we who have
placed you here, feel too that there particulars in
which your preparation for the work might have been
more perfect. But perhaps that which You nave
could not have been gained without involving
some positive disqualification Had your boy
hood known the harsh discipline Of power
y forcing the stronger and stcrncr elements Of char
acter into premature Development; had you, 10y the
voice of inc xorhe duty been called away from aca-
dcmc leisure aud placed while yet stripping. IN some
high post Of militant service for the church;
profiue te hate you; had ultrasts aud rad
spit ont their venom against You had the apostles OF
goddess and destructive dogmas that would demoralze
and undermine the state hOnOfcd you WIN thcr
inalcdictOns, then, though doubtless you would
have had some qualification which rs yet you have not
YOU would have gained those qualifications AZ The expense
and NOT ONLY som might nave 6e,n prrhaps i'm some
respects, too much OF % mgn for us; We might
have thought, and you might have thought with
Wanted and that yom had shaped for yourself sphere
of light and power from which you could not well be
spared
The graduates Of the last % years will rejoice to think
that President Woolseys sphere has been OF less
eight and power" that militant ooquently
sketchcd.
As an educator President WOolsey has followed siren
nonsly the views expressed ia his inaugural He has
maintained constantly that the college IS place TO form
the mind rather than to store it, and has opposed any
thing which "a him one-sded in its tendencies.
While c has the honor Of being the first Professor to In
troduce the study of the Greek tragedies into American
colleges and has always been an able champion Of the
classics he has spoken often in advocacy of a higher
range of mathematical studies. He has never looked
with favorable eye upon what is known the literary
man" in college and has regarded the high estimate
which In this country placed upon fluent speaking and
writing disastrous in its effects both the mind and
character OF young men. Under him the Senior Year
studies have systeDatiLed and increased not
leave much time for literary studies He Is the founder
Of the most valuable andpractcal scholarship in College
His decided views in favor Of the academic training,
the true basis for culture have led him to deat times
with the zeaOa advocates of the scientific school, whose
efforts Oturn the current of young away from the
academic department he has always opposed. No one
can charge hm-certanly who has ever been
der his instrucou-with not being mp with the tines
but Jealous IF innovation and OF modern expert
ment." "ThCre men," said he, in his Historical
Discourse before the graduates in 1850, in land
more conservative. the best sense, than thoughtful
graduates especially OF the older institutions. They arc
men whom such institutions rely In hours when
speculative projects and theories of half education
popular and whose appreciation Outweighs the whole
voice of the public beside"
A. executive head he has been marked by decision
and rmness and abOrous and conscientious discharge
Of his duties Every letter addressed TO him in his
official capacity he answers himself. "sOme Of these
people have no bowels" ne remarked when troubled
with larger amount Of trivial correspondence than
usual recent graduates will recollect bitterly
he spoke of the of politicians who sought to
get from him. for partisan purposes, OF the
Of Gen Blair in college 1t has sometimes been
subject Of complaint among the friends of the College
that the President has urged persisteny its
claims upon moneyed men for subscriptions but such
course seems to be repugnant TO his nature and may
after all be calculated to endanger the Independence
Of the institution His successor, however whoever he
may he. viii. find. probably such course insisted upon
one Of his duties.
In ms religious capacity, President W00scy has been
cncnty catholic and ctarian and yet no preacher
the chapel ever listened TO with more respectful
ION. did any with Innre fnrynr md Ill