Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-04-29

As is generally known, DR.. Walter Car
penter has resigned his chair (of Theory ant
Practice in the Medical Department of th'
University, and with the present term he re-
tires from active connection with the Medical
College. No one has better earned an honor
able retirement from long and worthy ser
vice. DR. Carpenter was one of the founders
and has always been one of the leading sup
porters Of the present Medical Department.
Faithful when some others failed, he never
lost heart in the enterprise or held back from
work and responsibility in its service. In
the nearly thirty years of his connection
with the college he must have delivered be
tween three thousand and four thousand lee
lures, n his various courses. lie leaves it
now in The full tide of its success, in which
ho has earned the right TO feel an l"nest
pride : and, though having reached pcrlod
of life when he is entitled to rest from active
labor il can be said of him that he r,tirs in
the full possession of his powers-hs eye not
dimmed nor his natural force much II lied.
His course of lectures which closed Tuesday,
has been, as all say, one of his hest
The last lecture of the series, and the final
one of his labors as an instructor III the
Medical College WAS given Tuesday. The
Doctor was greeted rs he entered the l. rture
room, with prolonged applause Al the
close of his regular lecture, On cerehro-: pinal
meningitis he took farewell of the class
with modest and appropriate remarks.
DE. CARPENTERS REMARKS.
1t seemed to him, he said. but short
time, since the revival of the Medical De
partment of the University, % years ago.
Those who undertook that experiment were
liable TO Il charge of foolhardiness. There
were then two other medical schools in Yer
mont-at Woodstock and Casteton. But there
were those who thought they perceived that
those schools had but a slender hold on life
They thought that Burlington was the place
for the permanent medical school of the
State, and they went ahead. His first lee
turc, DR.. Carpenter said, was delivered To
seven students, sitting smoking, andwith their
heels as high as their heads, in cobwebbed
room in dilapldated dwelling house, which
had been hired for the purpose. The divi-
dend TO the professors, at the close of that
term, after paying expenses, was Sl.62.
Some of them fell out, and one who had
been sent 10 New York with 5000 to procure
subjects disappeared, and had not been seen
here, or the subjects or the money, since.
Others stood stoutly by the enterprise.
Prominent among these. and EMIT
led to he called the leader in the development
of the institution, was Dr. $. w. Thayer.
He WAS always ready TO give time and labor
and means to the advancement of the Med
ical College, and it is to be congratulated
that it is still able to avail itself of his prsc
teal and useful services US a lecturer. His
work here has been worthy of all praise.
Anon. the "reminiscences of those early
days DIR. Carpenter mentioned his taking
the place of II professor ''of much surface
but little depth had read Bennett to
the students till they refused to hear him
and made formal complaint of his incapac-
ity to President Pease For that course
he Or. Carpcnter) received a gold headed
cane, Il meerschaum pipe, and plug OF to-
baccO. Reviewing his connection with the
College, DR.. Carpenter said that he had never
failed TO give his full complement of so lee
lures every year. in his own course on Theory
and Practice For fifteen years he also gave
the course on Materia Medica, giving in all
had been fortunate in always meeting court
csy and respect from the students, and for the
kindness and attention and courtesy of the
present class he wished to tender his thanks,
and would now with no formal words, but
with a heart full Of feeling, tender them his
farewell. Renewed applause.