Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-07-06

anu piOus youth, ndVlnR III view preE
aration for the Christian Ministry. Thi
sum, on certain conditions, said trustee
: were directed to pay over to corporation
provided one should be established With
five years from the testator's decease fo
the accomplishment of the object of hi
benefaction. But, in the event that n
such, corporation should be established
within the time specified, or the prescribe
condition be unfulflled of providing
sum of money at least equal to tn
amount of the bequest to be expended il
erecting the necessary buildings, tn
trustees of said benefaction were directed
to pay the same in specific sums to tn
American Board of Commissioners TO
Foreign Missions, the American Bibl
Society and the American Home Mission
ary Society.
Stimulated by this provision, and hav
ing just appreciation of the beAevolent
intention of Mr.. Burr, the gentlemen de-
signated in his will as trustees of this
legacy, and few others, made application
to the Legislature of the State for the re
qnisite charter. This obtained, efficient
efforts were put forth to raise by sub
scription the sum necessary to secure tc
the institution the benefaction of Mr.
Burr. BY the favor of Providence these
efforts were crowned with success With
| the funds obtained, land was purchased,
the necessary buildings erected, and ap-
paratus and other things provided; the
value of which was adjudged by the COM
mittee of appraisal, nominated in the will
of Mr.. Burr, to amount to $11, 1888. There
upon the legacy of ten thousand dollars,
~ r. IA L. IA
in the hands of the trustees of the Semin-
ary, the principal to be retained as a per-
manent fund, of which the interest ac-
cruing year by year was to be applicable
I for the purpose specified by the generous
donor. Appropriately, therefore, the name
given to the institution in the act of in
corporation was "The Burr Seminary"
At a meeting of the Trustees, July 25,
1889, Rev. Lyman Coleman, then of Bel.
chertown. Mass, was unanimously ap-
pointed Principal. As the preparations
were not completed for the reception of
pupils when Mr. Coleman assumed the
office, he occupied himself to some extent
in visiting the churches in other towns,
making known the peculiar character and
objects of the Institution, and receiving
contributions both in money and other
articles from those disposed to favor the
enterprise. 1t was due to these efforts,
and to those of one or more occasional
agents of the trustees in the same direc-
tion, that the special design of the Insti
tuition became generally known, so that
at its opening, which took place May Is,
1888, large number of worthy and
promising young men from abroad ap-
peared here to claim the advantages ii
offered.
At no time have more pupils been pres
ent, for whose special benefit the Semin
airy was opened, than for the fret few
terms after it went into operation. At
that period, following a season of extended
religious revival, many young men were
turning from secular pursuits, and enter
ing upon a course of education preparatory
for the ministry. By the judicious ar
rangements of its trustees, Burr Seminary
was at once known as offering to such pc
euliar advantages With thorough in
struction, under able and experienced
teachers, gratuitously impaired to those
whose circumstances entitled them to the
benefit of the fund, with the help of
manual labor department then established,
and with quite economical arrangements
for board, and other expenses of living, 1t
is not strange that so many were attracted
hither from the outset. The day of its
opening, at the date before mentioned,
was made memorable by a crowded re-
ligious service in the chapel, at which
discourse was delivered by Rev Alexander
Proudft, ID, President of the Board of
Trustees, and an inaugural address by
the principal.
John Aiken, Esq, having been ap-
pointed Associate Principal with Mr.. Cole
man, these two gentlemen, with an assis-
tant, Mr.. Hiram Bulkley, constituted the
first board of instruction. A competent
steward was provided to take charge of
the boarding department and workshop.
But the responsibility of the whole re-
mained with the trustees. 1t may serve
to show with what care they aimed to
bring the expenses here to minimum
cost, while at the same time it will indi-
cate the economical style of living in
those days, compared with what exists
now, to make an extract or two from the
book of record. While the tuition of
benefciaries was met by the income of the
Burr fund, the charge for the same to
others was placed at the low rate of twelve
dollars year for the common English
branches, and four dollars additional for
the languages. The two votes | propose
to cite are rs follows:
" Voted, That board in the Seminary be
furnished at cost, not excee ding S1.25
week"
Voted, That it be recommended to the
students to. dispense as far as may be,
with tea and coffee; that their table be
regulated by system, and that they adopt
for the most part vegetable diet"
However much such sumptuary regu-
lations may be secuted now, there is rea-
son to believe they were well regarded
then, and that the physical and moral
health of the earlier students did not
suffer in comparison with the result of
more luxurious living now every where
deemed essential.
Under such auspices the Burr Seminary
commenced its career. Happy are we to
with their now venerable Principal, whose
names appear on the first printed cata-
logue. The habits formed or fostered
under those who guided them in this stage
of their education, and the impulse which
they here received in the course of liberal
culture which prepared them for their
life.w work, may safely be appealed to as
attesting the usefulness of the Seminary
under its first administration. We hazard
nothing in presuming that not shade OF
regret now darkens the mind of one OF
them, that this was the chosen spot OF his
earlier studies. But such testimony as
they may be disposed to give, bearing
upon this point, or more general reeollec-
tions awakened by this reunion, we hope
to hear from their own lips before we
separate to our respective homes. -.sza
But to return to our narrative. After
the retirement of Mr.. Aiken in, January,
1884, Mr.. John Fl. Worcester, previously
tutor in Dartmouth College, became as
sistant teacher with Mr.. Coleman in the
classical department, while Mr.. James
Tufts, who had been pupil of the Semi.
nary at its opening, was employed to give
instruction in the English Department.
The names of these gentlemen are famili-
arly associated with the early and success
full history of the Institution. That we
are not favored with the presence of both