The Portland daily press., 1884-04-11

Presidents Dwight's Opinion ON Its FERN
of Government.

To the Editor of the Press:
The learned Timothy Dwight, d. D LID,
who was President of Yale College from 1875
to his death in 1917, and graduate Of that
institution In the class of 1869, visited Bowdoin
College in 1907, when it had been ia operation
five years. His pointed remarks upon the
supervising body, or board of overseers, are
brought to mind by your notice of DR.. Ger
rish's article entitled "The Alumni and the
overseers." President Dwight said:
"This institution, like the University at
Cambridge, Is encountered by two legislative
bodies; board of trustees and board Of over
seersi the former having power to originate,
the latter to negative, academical measures.
This unfortunate complication OF government
renders its whole state uncertain, prolix and
indecsive; furnishes room for the operation Of
multiplied personal interests prejudices, in
trigues and unfortunate compromises; and
generally prevents the order. energy and de-
eision, attendant upon single board. A
board of overseers occasionally called together
to NEEDLE with the affairs OF the college, will
usually feel so little interest in them, except
at the moment, as never to be in possession OF
the system, intended to be pursued; the wisdom
and expediepcy of one part Of which will often
depend more on its relation to the other parts
tQan on its own nature, Often they will not
come together at all in such numbers as to
form quorum, and will thus prevent the &C
eomplishment of the business, for which they
were snmnoneds TIC vsRy number Of which
/ they consist will Of cousss include many, who
are incompetent judges Of academical con-
Germs; and many more, who will never take
pains to inquire into their nature, or TO possess
themselves Of that judgment, which their
capacity would in better circumstances enable
them to form. Their decisions, therefore, will
often be sudden; often crude and not I'M
frequently hostile to the very interests'which
they would wish to promote. To secure the
prosperity OF such an institution, 1t Is indis-
pensably necessary, that system embracing
all its interests for considerable period at
least, should be carefully formed and closely
pursued. All who are to vote, should dis
tinctly understand this system; and whenever
they come to act, should have it fully in their
minds; so as to comprehend readily the rela-
ton which every new measure has to the
general scheme. and its proper influence on
measures already adopted. This can only be
done by long continued and minute ac-
quaintance with the institution; and can never
be done by men, who, occupied busily in total
~ different concerns, come rarely and casually,
to the consideration Of these. The votes Of
such men will be governed BY the impulse of
the moment, by within, by prejudice, by at
tachment to a friend, or party; and some
times, not improDably, by the mere fact, that
their duty requires them to vote, when per-
haps they are wholly at a loss whether the
vote, actually given, will be useful or mis-
chievouss If such system be not 80 pursued,
the interests Of public seminary can never
become prosperous, unless by accident, or by
the peculiarly meritorious labors OF wise and
vigorous faculty; overcoming many disad
vantages, and preventing with uncommon
prudence and felicity, the mischievous effects
OF indigested, desultory regulations"