Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-06-29

pines Which ha0 uened the plAStB OF TWO nun.
bred years. Burlington and this whole sec
ton was then poor. 1t requires some exer-
ton, even on the part OF some OF us vino
were present and did service in digging
stumps, to recall TO mind the state OF things
as then existing"
A graduate Of the class of 1879, Hon.
Joseph Williamson, thus describes the ma
terial condition of the University In his day.
"Thcrc having been no churches in town,
the commencement exercises were held In
the old court house until the year 1917.
church was then in process Of erection and
the workmen suspended their labors to give
opportunity for commencement, and my
class vas the first who graduated in church.
The old college, which was burned, was
beautiful specimen OF architecture. Yet the
floors were in rough, unplaned state, nor
did any carpet grace any OF the halls or stu
dents rooms, and doubt whether there
| were many in town. / well recollect that
| on all occasions of commencements and pub
| lie exhibitions we were indebted 10 Col
Bucl for his pallor carpet. 1t was of noble
size and more than covered the area OF the
stage: and many au Grafton and poem and
| conference was delivered from that carpet 10
an admiring audience
but few houses had ever felt a painter 5
brush. Neither the college nor the prcsi-
dents honse had ever been painted, at least
their exterior Col. Sawyer kept a hotel on
Court House square; Judge Livingston OF
the Supreme Court OF the United States was
his guest and he pronounced 1t not exceeded
by any one on his circuit; vet 1t had never
been painted. The old court house retained
its sln.burnt, dingy color when l turned my
back upon 1t in 1912.
"But with all these defects Bur
| liuplun was the most beautiful spoil
for literary institution that the sui
ever shone upon. | shall never forge
the impression it made upon my mind
as approached it for the first time TO cntei
the Freshman class in 1908. At the back
ground stood the stately college editce, Will
lis twelve chimneys and tower in The centre
In front was spread out the broad bosom o
the lake, now whltened by the canvas o
slcops, now dotted By the old steamer Eultoi
as she ploughcd through the deep on he
weekly trips Letwecn Whitehall and 81
Johns On the south were stretched alon!
the sunny, level fertile fields OF good oil
Shelburn and Charlotte, and on the cast thun
dered the cataract of Colchester while Il
rendei the scene still more enchanting, wer
seen in the distance the SUBMITS o! the ever
green mountains"
One more photograph, 10 complete our gal
lcry. II is the late Prof. George w. Bene
dict who furnishes il:
81 came here" he said, sin May, 1925
The ruins of the fire had been cleared away
but not n building was to be seen-only pre-
parations for the north part of the prcsen
, structure. Its foundation had been laid
, few days before. In a corner room OF a dc
serted store house, on the north end OF til
green which now is Dit was chiefly cor
field, them, was shown few baskets iu
of books of a very motley character. said t
have been snatched from the fire. In an
other place were one or two old bits OF chea
philosophical apparatus saved in like manner
That was all the material part OF IT,
institution, 50 far as ii was visible TO m
eyes. 1t was vacation, and no studcntsw er
about. In few days some came together
aud they were gathered for morning su'
evening prayers in the vacant area OF the oil
storchousc just mentioned. For reciiations
they met in sundrY places in the ncighboI
, hood, where room could be found for th
benches and chairs on which they sat. we
1 remember, too, that in one of these loom
, there was blackboard about two feet ion
and two and a half wide, which the studen
could keep in Its place by one hand, while h
made his diagram on it with the othel
Within few months all the teachers, my
self excepted, left for Other fields of usefu
ness, and even second professor OF lar
guages came and left within tho first tw
! years AT that time the students were occt
e pying the building which had hecn erected
though the arrangements for public rooms /
. them were rude and temporary, and I'll
Q hours for public exercises were made know
by no more digniiicd sound than that OF Il
/ horns"