The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-02-18
Tsu: sUMOIsED uIDDLEsUHy
PRESIDENT

II is said that the committee of the cor
poratiou, having the matter in charge, are
proposing to tender the presidency of Mid
dlebury College to Arthur Latham Perry,
at present, professor of history and politi-
cal economy in Williams College. In Ger
tain views, perhaps all save one, this would
be the wisest choice that could be made
He is a young man, in the prime of life
and almost Ncrmontcr, having been born
in Lyme, New Hampshire, in February,
1890 His father was graduate of IIar-
ward and Andover, and the pastor of the
church in Lyme from the day Of his or
diration until his death. An older brother
graduated at Middebury. The professor,
being born few weeks after his fathers
death. was partially prepared for college
by his iudicious and excellent mother, and
after period Of study at the then ccle-
brated ThetfOrd academy, he entered VIII
liams college, where he graduated in 1859.
The year after graduation was passed in
teaching in Washington, frem whence he
was called in 1853, TO a tutorship at Will
liams. and was made professor of history
and political economy the next year. In the
spring and summer of 1861, he attended Il
course of historical lectures in the Uniycr-
sity OF lIcidleburg. Upon the subject of
political economy, he has national fame,
having published work on that subject,
y.it,I, b,,g ,.,peoI Oh,
and also, lectured in reference thereto
throughout the country. As Henry G.
Carey may be regarded as the leader of pro-
tectionists among political economists, so
Professor Perry is the leader Of the free
traders He is terribly in earnest upon
the subject, too it haYing been favoritc
"hobhy' with him-if we may bcpardoncd
the cXprcssion-eyen in college days, as we
have abundant reason TO remember. This
is the only possible objection, if it Is
an objection, there can he to his sclec-
ton. Whether Vermont famcrs will
consent TO send their sons to a college pre-
sided over by the ablest of the free trade
leaders is question which ought TO be seri-
ously considered. In lis decision, the fu-
ture of the college may be decided one way
or the other. We cannot tell, no one can
forelell, what the sentiment Of Vermont,
or the country, may he on this subject a
few years herce-we know well enough
what the opinion of Vermontcrs is to-day.
If he should take the presidents chair, he
will he Il power in Vermont educational
Influences His whole life and soul is en-
gagged in the cause of education. and his
teaching and explanations have almost a
magnetic effect upon the mind of the stu
dent. If that one question can he ignored,
Perry would soon place Middlebury high
up in the scale of colleges. But will Viii
liams spare blmy Can she afford to let
him go? Can his field of usefulness be en-
larged by the change? Can he root out
the tcndrils OF love and yeneration which,
for n quarter Of q century, have been
branching out and roofing in The dear old
alma MdttrP We do not believe old Will
llams will let him 60. AZ for ourself, in
! diyldually, IL love of, aud pride in our state
are struggling with the same feelings for
our Alma Ndter in reference to the de-
cision our friend and classmate may make.
AS NornoLter, us a representative, in one
sense, Vermont. her interests, her colleges,
and the cause of education in the state, we
hope that Arthur Latham Perry will he
the next president of Middlebury college