Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-06-14

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aud more lie had come To teach his own pupils
children His influence has reached deep down
aud far out and So the strength aud extent ot the
associations are greatly enhanced. lie means a
very great deal to very many people Then,
there Is the character Of the man him
self; a lovabe man, man tull OF all impulses 10
who went out In his strong sympathies
to every one who could not bear to be ont OF the
mind, esteem and affection OF his telluMmen All
these things unite the hearts here. We feel our
unity, We mourn together, aud weep with those
who weep; We loved him, we miss him. We shall
not forget him.
We are met here 10 think for little while Of
our friend not indeed, that It is uirs TO enter the
blessed aud sacred recesses OF the precious home
relation; but rather To dwell upon thOse charac-
teristcs which marked the man as he stood IN
the community We are to try To realize linn
once again IN all his worth to us, tu gather up
and hold some impressions Of him.
l. The striking personality of MIR. Bingham
Is the first thing We think about We may not
have the vision of his face, but We can never lose
the strong characteristics Of the man; ut the rug
grd, massive physique, though in early years more
slender; Of the compact, nervous aud muscular or
made, il would seem, to have endured
for years longer one is reminded of the open
ing words upon the tombstone Of Or. Samuel
Taylor OF Andover; Firm, resolute bold
strong in body and in mind, he spake with
authority" The solid brain. the broad fun
brow, the piercing eye 50 full OF expression
and shrewd penetration, the entire face, IA
deed, Indicated the vigorous life at that point
where brain and spirit unite in action Within
that brain were intellectual powers Of superior or
der: logical, incisiye, Of cearness Ia grasp, aud
Of philosophical depth and originality. Even
more marked was the development Of his emo
tional powers. He had the faculty Of feeling in
unusual degree. which is family trait. and came
out toward his home his town. and his pupils in
remarkable fuinrss Of expression. through the
suituStd eye and the peculiarly emotional VOICE, IA
voice which had rare qualities for gaining and
keeping sympathetic attention. He was man,
also, of marked energy, especially So far as the
passion Of his life, teaching, was concerned. lie
always orertrOrked, throwing himself with too
little Carriuncss into his labor; but the energy
was there, and he made the impression of great
reserved force one did not care 10 withstand
nm when he was reused; one wanted hts respect
aud his eye He was a gifted man. cast In larg
rr mould than average men Having done much,
he always lrft the thought that he might have
done more He was an exceptional noteworthy
man. take him for all in all. with very strong
Individuality, and one that was certain 90 make
"a distinct mark, as 1t assurcdly did
. ! want here to call your attention To-
some remarkable things about him Onr is. the
property right he had in Vermont. or rather,
that Vermont had in him. He and his faith
rr. Deacon Asahrl, and his grandfather. Deacon
Jeremiah Bingham, have been part "i TINS state
for a century Thus our friend truly grew up
with and into the people; an unusual thing IN our
country to an equal degree, and a most desirable
thing To secure, m home growing processes. max
ing the strongest, most enduring Of native stock
lie always has lived In and worked for the good of
this commonwealth.
Then the record In teaching made hy him is
very rare. For & years, all told. he has worked
since hr was u years old, at Charlotte, Cornwall
West Rutland and Brattlrburo. In the last his rec
ord has been unequalled in the state For . years
he has been the centre 1T the life Of our youth.
guiding their Interests. quoted by them IN their
homes, ever growing in their esteem, holding his
own absolutely
Further, observe the conquest over obstacles by
ms native powers Trained for five years 10y the
beloved and venerable brother, who to-day muurns
with broken heart far away, hr has otherwise
made himself Mr. Bingham always spoke with
regret of missing college course. II would have
NO doubt added power, hut yet he kept grow ing IN
power In the last address | heard him make
there was "A clearneSs Ngor, a degree of critical
acumen turned toward theories Of teaching or TX
nurance of them, II power Ia make point with
vivid distinctnesS, and then leave it, which made
one doubt # the lest had not been his.
one more noteworthy thing the pOsitiveness
18th which lac felt his call 10 teach 10 be sacred
his life work. 1t was "A true thing 10 him, and he
put his heart into IL. II was an ideal thing to
him. and he with all his practical grasp idealizd
the school the character Of the schoollnaster and
the pupils To his mind as 10 every man who
feels called to a work all the forces Of the com.
munity gravitated about has work. Parents and
public opinion as we'll as pupils and teachers,
were needed To make IL a success. He certainly
had force enough To make the school central e.
all the village life. He mAgnifed his Office. ac-
crpted its responsibility, and assumed its power
over young life as hls by Divine election.
3 These things render the self made Yer
mont srhuolmaster, conscious Of his call. very in
trrestng, apart from our personal feeling tow ard
him Look at him in his work as "A teacher, for
that is 10 look at the man His ideal high
How did he fulfil IT, His aim. expressed and
u practicrd was to stimulate and build up mind
He aimed To- make the man. His love for mathr
MATES shows this the science Of reality, Of truth
the moral science. lie had very deep ideas,
philosophical notions, of what education is was
utterly opposed 10 cheap utilltarian conception.
and argued Tor the abstract side. the pure reason
side Of mathematics, because Of the discipline
Processes and results might be forgotten but the
trained mind was gained His views as 10 meth
DDS were conservative, and he did not See the Ist
or the vigor OF many new expedients; vet his in.
tuition aud earnest purpose teacher really
kept him abreast of the times, and gave him the
gst of thu b-st part in the new ways. Aiming at
mind, he aimed at the individual mind and stud
led each boy aud girl, that he might then know
how 10 awake and inspire that mind to the ut
most. This he did with painstaking patience,
anxious days aud nights. His whole aim was to
call ont the pupils energy, and for that all his in
ciSvtness OF word all his urgent personality, and
above all his special sympathy, were brought u
sympathy. insight sense a touch of ideal
lzlng whereby he could s-e hope m "A pupil given
up by others, these grasped the new mind. II
was very Interesting 10 attend recitation even
IA abstract mathematics. One would become all
aglow In IA boys behalf; would Mr.. Bingham
be-, but the task must be done all is at stake and
then. II IL is done. what Sense of the well dom"
would come with the mere Good" of the master
Discipline was so important with him because of
TINS personal aim, and IN his mingling Of Sevrri-
ty, gentleness aud originality he worked his re
suit. There was constant appeal to reason, IA
mutual confidence between teacher and pupil.
Few words were needed. There was complaint
DO you See a way to remedy that" The pupil
thought he did The ideal teacher calls out three
things, the sense of | ought, ] can, and | will
Those lines of Emerson
When duty whispers low Thou must,
The youth replies, 4 can,
arr carved upon the walls of the main hall Of
Marlborough college, England. Such was the
aim OF our dear friend to wake up the -
ought" Il can, =" - will" All that cost The
cost in labor and anxiety was paid: sturdily
without stint l take the word Of his pupils
for il. The result was striking record of
lives rendered safe, mourning body Of
alumni today, confession from all of constant
and unfeigned respect felt toward him; and
the ayowal that all the main influence Of their
teacher was toward manliness and wumauliness
that boys were made manly, YES and the
girls Wumanly; and Il is something to say as Ia
the influence over girls that for ,, years, as class
after class came under the strong personal mag
netism of Mr.. Bingham, they grew yearly, So far
as he could help them, more and more IN all
maldenly dignity and character His pupils felt
that he was loyal 10 them, their good name, pros
poets highest interests Hence they loved him
and 90 ON to love him, and rise up here To testify
to his honor, and 10 assert that they are better
men and women than they would have been with
out him,
For myself l was coming TO an ever deeper at.
fectOn for him, and through two or three CONVEX
satiuns of late was beginning 10 know better the
noble nature that was his He was a man WHOSE.
approval ] would not have done without ii
could help il. And yet am not going 10 assert
of his influence "A completeness which might have
been. | soemnly believe that could he now speak
he would make some grave confessions / think
he would want us to admit here, as We talk to-
gether about him, that certain definite and pos
tive influence in behalf Of the religious life was
not as fully rendered as it ought to have been.
and which coming from a soul of such virilt.
strength would have been a tremendous power
here. Certain II is that the sudden event of his
death, bringing the whole community into the re
aliZatlon Of the spiritual world, was providence.
taught through him OF no vague import and
brought the God of our salvation TO our minds
more powerfully than by any spoken word, In one
last great lesson for which he himself would
thank God, TO the youth of this place whom he
loved and for whom he labored Aud certain II
is that the sudden ending Of his work has given a
most impressive emphasis 10 all that he was To
every kind, wise word that he ever spoke, 10 ey-
cry lofty ideal he ever instilled He being dead
yet speaketh OF him, as Of another great teach
rr il will Ike said that Hundreds of luyal puulls
sat at his feet while he lived and made great
lamentatun over him when he died
4. Considered in the relation of citizen. there is
a very Close aud lasting bond between him and
his fellow tOwnsmen, You feel that You owe hin.
great debt for a strong faithful self sacrificing
and prolonged service in your interests. We think
that there is here in Brattleburu to a remarkable
degree freedom from vice aud disorder, a high
average intelligence a prevailing wholesomeness
and vigor Of hfe You feel as all must feel that
Il is and must he largely due 10 the man who has
had his hand CA your homes for twenty en-
years, aud who has breu a main instrumentaty
ia giving Wumunliness aud grace 10 the girls and
courage and self discipline 10 the boys
It was NO mean tribute that was rendered To
him nearly two years ago. Words were said by
men who are wont 10 weigh their words which
conveyed not uncertainty the esteem which tins
town, at least, felt for him, and from which can
he Inferred in due ratio, the respect In which he
was held in the state Il is pleasing 10 think that
he had this testimonial when IN the flush of
health, before any fears of failing had arisen,
When lac could feel thai the past, al least, Was
scCurr.
Because of this warm regard for Mr.. Bingham.
u was great shock When the news of his death
came me Town grew grave IA an hour, and IN
the building where he did his work, aud where