New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-15
COMMENCEMENT SEASON.
BROWN UNIVERSITY.


or THE ALUMNI IN THK ADMINS
rRATiON or ruE COLLKaE-HOw 1T Is OBTAINED
THE GREAT INTEREST TAKEN IN THE ELECTION
or rRusrEEs-TuK NEW LIBRARY AND DORMi-
TORY BUILDINGS.
fyRon srAYY CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNHI
PROVIDENCE, June 14.-The Grafton by ex-
Gov Bullock of Massschusetts and the Poem by William
Everett OF Harvard University before the Phi Beta
Kappa Society tomorrow. will be- In literary sense inc
most noticeable feature Of week at Brow"
University this yoar but the graduates are taking great
interest In tho election OF trustees. In this az
in other colleges the Alumni have long been making
efforts to secure representation In the administration OF
the institution. The first meeting Of the Alumni as
body was held In Manning Hall on Sept q 1868. Dr.
(aswell who was then tho President OF tho College,
stated that Alumni anxious to axe counsci III
regard to the best OF promoting the welfare OF tue
University. Senator Anthony presided. and an active
discussion followed. At the suggestion Of Prof. LIN
coin. a committee appointed to consider the
pan proposed by President Caswell for inc
establishment OF postgraduate scholarships anu
any other measures that would promote tho prosperity
of the College. 1t also voted that In tho opinion Oh
the Alumni the interests Of tho University require that
the whole body of the Alumni he brought into some more
immediate connection with It," committee OF I've was
Amounted to provide future meetings OF tho Alumni
This was the germ OF the for tho representa-
ton OF tho Alumni In the councils OF the College,
Tn 1869. ex-senator Foster was elected permanent
Chairman at the meeting OF the Alumni and the COM
mtee appointed In tho previous year reported through
Dr. Csswcl The report reiterated the recommendation
Of last year regard to Postgraduate scholarships anu
favored the organization OF the Alumni into permanent
body In 1870 Abraham Payne presented an elaborate
report recommending that the Alumni strive for repre-
sentation In the government OF tho College Aiter
protracted discussion, conducted with some warmth
committee was appointed to bring the mat
ter before tho corporation. The conservatives
were satisfied with things as they wore: the
younger members OF the Association wished TO put
Brown on the same plane as Harvard and Yale The
Hon. f. w. Bird took an active part in the discussion
fayoring the new policy. The resolution was hnaiy
modified q respectable minority dissenting so as 10
instruct the committee TO confer with the corporao
In regard the subject. In 1871. there was lack OF
unanimity between tho corporation and the Alumni.
There much opposition to any change on thc part o
the fow while the larger number favored an advances VI
some kind The following Conference Committee was OPP
pointed by tho Alumni:
The Hon b. f. Thomas Of Boston, Abraham Payne OF
Providence II. b. Staples OF Worcester a. a. IecA vi
Providence the Hon. Nathan r. DIXON OF Westerly
In 1872, Abraham Payne reported as result Oh INC
conference that IL was undersO that while neither tho
corporation nor its committee was in favor OF any
change in the charter OF the College, yet the Corporation
would favor any measure which would give tine hiuihi
practically an active advisory influenced in conductng'hc
affairs OF the College Tho Hon. H. b. Staples then read
a report Of the pr ,ceedings OF the Alumni COMMITTEE
In this II appears that the charter OF the College Is
perpetual one protected from change by the organic law
of the land 1t rests the whole government OF the Col
logo in Board Of Fellows and Board of Trustees act
ing CONFORMITY with the power OF continual succession az
a trust from which the Fellows and Trustees cannot
divest themselves by voluntary abncgaticn
OF power. Tho committee found the cor
por.tion wholly averse TO legislative changes
-. v,tnx,np oh
which there would be end. II was precedent they
were not willing adopt, did they wish IN tho
ancient charter tempered with altered for any pir
pose. They recommended to the Alumni an advisory
action free legal objections under which, Tor every
vacancy In the Board Of Trustees occurring during the
next five years. and for every third vacancy occur
ring after that time, the Alumni. at the next an
nual meeting after such vacancy shall occur, were
to nominate for trustees two candidates OF the
required sect OF Christians for each vacancy There
every to believe said the committee that inc
nominees selected would be Invariably chosen ana
thus by OF unwrtten law. the Alumni would grad
uay acquire real power in the government OF tho Col
lege They recommended too, the appointment OF
committee to attend examinations permanent organ
zation was advised All the matters under discussion
Werc then postponed to the next year. On motion OF
ABRAHAM or e orsano ~ the Alumni
1873 Mr. staples, behalf OF tho committee 10 con-
found two difficulties the way of securing their object
the provisions Of the charter and the will OF the corpora
ton The corporation OF the College was unwilling TO
amend the charter, owing to consequences that might
arise hence only advisory relation could be main,
tanned by the alumni. Tho following plan WAS at last
agreed to by both committees:
that the Alumni at their IA annual meeting re-, yfay
Board Of the Alumni and to hold Office for one year whose
Teriiy as to the matters where the Alumni
sought ss9 to aps 70 S e Bs Of S
candidate under the provisions Of The charter 10, for
shall their annual meeting designate three suitable
dates from and OF said
SONS the government " ill such vacancy.
Following this resolution there an earnest discus
sion in which it inquired what the corporation would
do upon the presentation of by the alumni The
reply was that such would receive their respectful
consideration. The resolution, with few unimpOrant
changes was then adopted The Advisory Board elected
were Rowland Hazard and Alexander Farnum OF PrOv-
dence, E. b. StOddard OF Worcester. Mass; the Rev.
Alexis Caswell, d. D.; Prof s. g. Greene. and Chas b.
Golf Of Providence, and f. W. Bird OF wapole, Mass
resolution passed to plan for voting, to be
submitted four weeks before the next meeting Of the
alumni 1t was also requested that the names Of the
Advisory Board the corporation consentng be printed
in the next annual catalogue Of the University In the
discussion Of the plan above proposed 1t came out that
one fear OF the corporation there would mis-
Judged and considcred voting by younger graduates
still prejudced by society ties. In 1874 the plan Of
voting which will be followed this year adopted.
Three Baptists, COngregatonalist and Quaker
arc to elected In this way tomorrow The increased in
terest manifested by the alumni In the affairs Of the Col
lege amply juses the efforts which have been made in
their behalf during the past years. The most
sAryatiye members Of the corporation admit the
wisdom OF the policy.
Work on the new library building will be begun in
few weeks It Is stand the Of Prospect and
Waterman-sts on ground given to the College by the
late John Carter Brown. Before his death there
fund of $4,000 which he had provided and by his will
$4,000 more were given for the same purpose.
Three architects have presented plans for the
new library building: Mr.. Potter, the Govern
ment arcfitectj Mr.. Hardenberg of NewYork,