Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-05-11
Dartmouth College.

ulty Of Dartmouth College with the presi-
dent of that institution, the Rev. Dr. S. c.
Bartlett. The president is also charged
his resignation has been imperatively de-
manded. The st. Adams Messenger also
Joins in the attack with specifications which
appear to the unprejudiced reader like gross
misrepresentation, and convey the impress
sion that possibly their author may some
time have felt the heavy hand of the ma
ligned president descend upon him in mer-
tied discipline Apparently, too, the Dart
mouth alumni in New York city do not
forget the enforced retirement, a few years
ago, of one of their number, the late DIR.
Smith, from the high office of president of
this institution. There lies against them,
as the fomenters of this Dartmouth imbrog-
lilo, reasonable suspicion that spirit Of
revenge strongly tinctures their hostility to
President Bartlett, who was chosen from
western city to succeed President Smith,
and whose vigorous, aggressive and success
full policy may not unfairly be construed as
a standing reproach to the easy-going and
somewhat visionary administration of the
retiring president. A communication in the
Boston Journal so succinctly sets forth the
cause and meaning, as we have understood
them, of this sudden outburst, that we re-
produce it with our cordial endorsement.
aside from the private aims and grievances
If a1umni nd mi u,ha of farulty tharq
are two primary causes for the present opposition
to the policy OF President Bartlett First, 1t Is
affirmed that his course has limited the scope and
province OF the Chandler scientific department
and that he struck blow at the very existence OF
that institution. The facts in the case are these
When President Bartlett entered upon the duties
Of his office he found that the real intention of Its
founder and the original plan OF the institution
had been utterly disregarded. With his charac-
teristic promptness and decision the president
brought this matter at once to the notice OF the
trustees, and with one exception they unani-
mousy voted TO abide by the instructions laid
down in the will Though few prejudced par
ties may protest against the presidents interpre-
taon of this will it is sufficient for people gener
ally to be assured that seven judges upon the SUI
preme bench declared that Interpretation to be
sound. Second, The state Of feeling among the
students. II has been represented that every stu
dents hand has been raised against the presi'
dent, and the presidents against every student.
This Is very'far from being the case. While 1t is
true that there does exist i'll feeling on the part
OF some, examination will show that its source il
the same as that already alluded to, viz personal
aims or personal enmity The outrageous hazlng
affair OF March 49, 1878, occurred soon after
President Bartlett came here. This, as every
reasonable man In college acknowledges, rendered
some severe discipline absolutely necessary. This
fell most heavily upon the present senior class,
who are the leaders OF the anti-president party
here among the students. 1t is a remarkable fact
that almost without exception only those classes
and those individuals who have felt the hand
OF discipline upon them are in any way hostile to
the present administration One class, in revenge
for a severe examination, goes out to horn
tutor, and on their homeward way, for no earthly
reason, stops and treats the president to repeti-
ton OF this performance. He, instead OF expul-
sion or suspense, demands only an apology from
the class; and now, forsooth, this class de-
mands his removal for acting in harsh and ar
bitrary manner Throwing aside, then, personal
hostility and discomfort under discipline (aug
mented and fostered by few members OF the
faculty for mere personal ends) and the natural
restveness of Young America under any author
ity whatever the feelings of the college are most
decidedly in favor Of the presidents policy"
1t is further stated, and the statement meets
with strong collateral confirmation, that for
several years antecedent to President Bart
let's administration discipline was exceed
ingly lax at Dartmouth, that drunkenness
among the students was of frequent occur
renee, and that their drunken rows shocked
the whole community; that now there is
hardly known drunken student at Dart
mouth; that rowdyism and general misbe-
havior, even at religious exercises, was
formerly rampant there; that now order,
good behavior, and wholesome discipline
prevail.
In further explanation of President Bart
let's alleged hostility to the Chandler sci
entifc and to the agricultural departments,
it may be stated that these departments, as
we'll as the academical or Dartmouth college
proper, have each their separate endowment
fund and other sources of revenue. Neither
department has any moral or legal right to
trench upon the revenues of the other. Pres
ident Smith pooled all the financial resources
at his disposal and used them indiscrimin-
ately for one department or the other
wholly unwarrantable and indefensible
course and one which resulted greatly to the
detriment of the academical department.
President Bartlett at once arrested this per-
version of the revenues of the college and
caused the funds of which he had become
the responsible administrator to flow in their
just and legal channels, for the support OF
these departments for which they had been
originally and specifically designed. This
is the full extent of his hostility" to the
Chandler and the agricultural departments,
and of his "favoritism" for the academical
department.
President Bartlett found the college $l17,-
600 in debt and running at large annual
deficit. He took the presidency with the
stipulation that he should have nothing to
do with raising money, but he soon found
himself forced to grapple with formidable
financial question, involving in its solution
the issues of life and death to the college.
In three years he has added 100000 to the
funds of the college, paid off 1927 1000 of its
debt, arrested the annual deficit, and is now
pushing forward new measures that, if I'M
interrupted, will lead old Dartmouth forth
in career of brilliant and successful COM
petition with her sister institutions of learn
ing. President Bartlett seems to be an able,
level headed, pushing sort Of man, as well
as a great scholar and instructor, and he
undoubtedly has many of the stalwart quail
ties that are inseparable from a positive
character. He has displayed attributes
somewhat analogous to those that distin-
guished Stanton, the war minister of the
rebellion, and it would not be surprising if
he had some of that great secretary's less
amiable virtues,-those which made him an
exceedingly disagreeabls antagonist. In
doubleday the faculty has not willingly re-
linquished the control it obtained in the
administrative affairs of the college under
the conciliatory regime of President Smith
which had brought the institution TO the
brink of ruin. Undoubtedly it was neces-
sary for the welfare of the college that the
professors should retire to their individual
and legitimate sphere of labor in their own
professorships. Undoubtedly this retreat
has not been made in "good ORDER" GER
tainly not with good grace, and to an out.
slider it seems entirely evident, in view of all
the circumstances thus far disclosed, that
Dartmouth College can vastly better afford
| Ia 10 ,h1l oI.I -.