The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-03-21

ply TO my letter, soliciting funds Tor the
endowment of professorship in Norwich
University; and | think it particularly
ungenerous to take advantage Of this op.
portunity, in the manner you have, to
throw your influence against the enter.
prise for which solicited your interest
and aid That you should also bring my
name into public print, without my
knowledge or consent, is an act Of dis
courtesy that | was not prepared to OK.
pect. In thus openly opposing the enter.
PRISE by causing the publication of your
letter, it appears to have been your pur-
pose to give thrust at the undertaking
which should, if possible, prove fatal to
its success
Such spirit is quite in contrast with
the kind wishes expressed in a very polite
letter received from ono of the most dis.
tinguisbed gentlemen Of Vermont lin re.
ply to solicitation for aid in the endow-
mcnt), in which he closed by "wishing
the good ladies of Mortified abundant
success in their noble undertaking.
Other responses have also come so cheer.
fully, with pledges, and thanks for having
the opportunity to aid in this work, that
it is quite encouraging after the "douche"
of cold water thrown by you.
Permit me to ask, if it can be your
settled conviction that the University of
Vermont, with its agricultural college
fund Of $3.50 900. in addition to its other
resources, is ultimately TO be reduced to
a local high school, Would you, sir,
with your millions Of wealth, suffer your
Alma Mater TO be thus Inundated 7 Is
it truly probable, too, that Middlebury
College, with its scholarly and indefatig-
able President Hulburt, assisted by an
able corps of professors with an endow.
ment of 100000, aud history that
might well excite the envy of any college
in New England will this honored insti-
tuition be allowed to degenerate into a
mere high school, where young men could
be fitted for Dartmouth ? Will that
theory be popular one with the Alumni,
and other friends who feel just pride III
the fact that to Middlebury College is due
the honor of having furnished larger
per cent Of her Alumni, who have dis
. tinguished themselves in the councils Of
the nation, as urists upon the bench, il
the halls of learning, and in all the learn
ed professions, than any other college il
the country? Need refer to the names
Of the distinguished congressman, d. Arc
A. Buck-the eminent jurist, exGovern
} er Royce-the illustrous philanthropiSt
the late Governor Slade, and the learned
.hcologian. the Rev DR.. Beemap, of New
York, who were all members Of ont
graduating class, numbering only seven
9 With such names before US, and scores o
, others that might be mentioned, who's,
, eminent attachments have reflected honol
upon their Alma Mater, shall not Yer
nonters utter with enthusiasm the senti
ment: Long live Mddlebury College y
5 1t is TO be greatly regretted that oul
people have not sufficient state pride tt
sustain our own institutions, instead o
sending their sons to college out OF thu
state where no better advantages can b'
! had, but certain disadvantages must be
borne, which ever result from the over
crowding OF classes.
: BY reference to printed reports, | fine
that when the attempt was made In ls4l
to consolidate the University of Vernon
and Middlebury College, committees were
appointed by both oorporations-a plar
was matured BY them and submitted to tn,
corporations for their acceptance. TIL,
,, result was that the trustees Of the Uni
versity "felt constrained by a proper
sense of fidelity to the public, and thei:
obligations to individuals, to decline the
proposition for union" You are wei
acquainted, | presume, with the history
of that effort, and also the fact that The
reasons which determined the corporation
of the University to decline a union then
remain the same to day.
1t seems that the argument for consoli
dation does not hold good against Nor
vich University it having an entirely
different curriculum from Burlington anC
Middebury, giving prominence to thu
scientific and military departments, aut
consequently not conflicting with either o
them.
AS | stated in my former letter, THU
institution "has record that makes it
name honorable TO the state Of Vermont
and entities it to special regard. for thu
services it rendered in our late civil war
No institution, in proportion to the mum
Der of its graduates, furnished so large {
0 proportion of educated officers to our vol
, unteer army" For such services thu
state owes to Norwich University deb
Of gratitude which she ought to asknowl
. edge by voting a liberal endowment
i. Through the efforts aud indonitable ener
E gy of its founders-CAptain Partridge
the gallant and heroic General Ransom
the selfsacrifcing General Jackman
j Presidents 3ourns, Howard and Douglas
t the University has sustained itself 70
C over forty years without endowment N
4 money has been solicited for endowment
until quite recently; but on several occa
sions kind friends have contributed tenn
1 porary assistance, and the donation Of tw
e hundred and fifty dollars from yourself t.
a aid in the completion Of the college build
. ing is gratefully remembered.
In view of the vitality shown in tn
7 past without any permanent fund, tn
!, friends Of the institution have the fulles
O confidence to believe that, with an enlow
ment of two professorships, of twent
= thouaud dollars each, Norwich Universit
o will continue to be an honor and bless
e ing to the state and the country.
c Very respectfully yours,
MINNIE p. MoouE.
The Washington correspondent Of tn
b. Springfield Republican says; "There ca
be no doubt that Clymer and Blackburn