Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-07-28

II LAG GJ4leZ6 rs.
It is q good year .9r College Presidents the
crop is large, II We nav speak so lightly Of the
accession Of severSl gentlemen % The dignity sld
responsibility Of the position Union College
has chosen DR.. Potter for its executive officer :;
the University Of Vermont supplies ths vacancy
created by the wiJhiTs val Of Dr.. Angel with the
promotion Of Prof. Buczham Gen Chamber
lain has received the tender Of the presidency Of
Bowioin College ami Professor Noah Porter
mss been elevated to the exalted position o. Presi
den: Of ale President Angel Ieurss from the
Vermont institution 10 accept the charge ot
Michigan University, one Of tae foremost 4 the
acaiemicsl establishments Of the country. Il Il
not often that so many important changes occur
At one time in the heads OF our COLLEGES as these.
Il is not frequeut that the election Of meu 20 I'll
the stations has 50 much significance IS It has at
this time.
There is a marked pro Zrsssive tendency IN
cur colleges il looks TO new methods Of train
ing; to new clurses Of stu ly; 10 a broader sq.r;
in culture; 20 = more pracucal result than the old
system aitaiuei, without the sacrifice Of the best
and soiiest advantages which characterized il,
to opening wide the gates Of the institutions to
all persons Of both sexes who sncerely seek the
truest and most Symmetrical cultivation o.
their faculties, both for the highest personal en-
jOyment and most Useful service OF them Idis
change is working itself cut with few public
demonstrations Fortunately the college is
safely removed from the distrsctiug influences Of
politics Yet few men who we're e0ayerslat
with the aims, the tendencies. the spirit which
psrvaiei college management thirty years ago
will say thst taey hni these the same now thst
we're then. Many may think that tae colleges
have deteriorate1; others are quite certain tsat
they have gained a great deal; al slloT that
they have materially changed. The time vas
when the colleges were directed aimost entirely
by the ministry One Of them presided in
every institution; each cltir Wss likely TO be
filed with one; and ths trustees or oserseers
were quite likely 10 he composed mainly Of such
men. They we're oiten able men ia their Way
snd sincere and earnest always. They did their
best 10 make the college useful But there we're
plain limitations 10 their ideas. They respected
the traditional too much. They ran in ruts,
because they did not usually deal enough with
the current eyeats, and did not personally face
practical life and feel its vi,il puissuous, Il
they turned out hue scholars, the latter ofitn
lacked the fscuty cf msAing their acquisitions
most useful IL life. The training did not
make strong men, ready to tske up the
business Of the world ami do IL sell.
The drifl in college lately has been to noIe
practical teaching, without the sscrlhce Of rig1r
in discipline. AnI IN these recent elections We
think the evidence Of marked advance IN this
direction is plain. The men wnom We have
nsmel rs the new Presidents Of the several col
/ leges are, with single exception, young men i,
and that exception is sn OLD tov, using the
/ parod0x with tie utmost respect io- the person.
/ lie represents the progressive element whiah
| struggles to assert itself in the management Of
the institution over which be is to preside We
need not say sgain that the young men At Union
| elected DR.. Potter, because he is in sympathy
/ with them. The michigan University j. the
product Of the free and unconventional West,
and invited Dr.. Angel 70 come 0at aud take the
leadership, because he IS young, fresh, intrepid
and liberal. Since the University Of Vermont
/ could not retain HIN, the trustees have wisely
/ chosen Professor Buckham 70 I'll the Place, Who
unites the ripe culture Of a sch0ltr with the
practical sense Of the American citizen, aud viii
/ bring to the performances Of his duties fae At
tainments and the robust vieor o. the prime Of
manhood, enlightened By progressive spirit
and inspired by contact with the activities OF our
/ life General Chamberlain, perhaps more no;a-
| bly, than any Of the rest, illustrates the move
ment He has Won distinction himself in ysri-
Gus fields In WAY, in politics and letters, his
record is equally lustrous He is one Of The lev
| men Of rare powers ahO is not dazed by ap-
plause, and is not seduced TO pursue the objects
that will insure the greatest notoriety. He may
not choose 10 accept the rendered honor The
! prefer Of it, however, shows the ruling senti-
ment in college management.
We know there is u certain clamor for more
practical training by men who fail to uDdegstsnd
the function Of collegiate discipline They are
intensely, rabidly utilitarian Ii is not desir4-
bic that such people should direct the colleges
nor is there any danger if il. But there is need
Of the adaptation Of aeademic4i instruction to
the daily work of life. col eye should not be
a book-worm factory. Il should it youths to be
men, strong enough to be self poised and indie
pendent, so cultivated as TO call their faculties
into full play, so practical as to serve their day
and generation effectively. and so conscientious
as always to be manly ani loyal to the lessons
they have been taught. Il Is toward this that
college management now tends. We are glad TO {
see il it is an Improvement Cornellis is net the /
kind Of institution that Yale was fifty years ago; 1
norris Yale the same But the newest are lead I
ers, for they have nothing to cut loose from /
which hampers them. Perhaps the old are
REQUISITE to save them all from going tco far
towards utilitsrian projects. Doubtless the old
motto ia the best '' Medic tutissimus IBIS Il
is the hope Of Yale that De- Porter. who leans to
the progressives, may harmonic the coutroyer-
sizes between the advocates of the old and new
system ir that venerable institution, and show
them that the middle way is the safest. In the
truest and highest fense, the Young Americans
are possessing the colleges. and we imagine they
b Jth will be great deal better for it.
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