Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-07-03

Ellls, Esq, OI New Ork Guy, WHO, Ill
lSGS, at the age of 10 years, graduated
from the college here and two years later
from the Columbia College Law school
in New York. The speaker defended
the old classical colleges from the as
saults of writers, like Henry Clews in
the April number of Belford's Magazine,
who argue that college graduates waste
the best years of their lives without prac-
tical beLefit. Mr.. Ellis stated the ques-
tion to be, At what period shall appren-
ticeship begin, at the end of the prepara-
tory school or OF the college course? While
portraying the trend of the time toward
specialties and quick results and the diff
Guilty of convincing the million eXpen-
sively to educate their children when
early apprenticeship without cost of tut
ton produced good wages, yet Mr.. Ellis
contended that the potential power of
the graduate and not his immediate
market value was the true test of the
value of college training. The opinions
were cited of the comptroller and COM
missioner of public works of the city of
New York in recently-publshed inter-
views, both eminent in practical affairs
and both strongly in favor of college
education. The early history of YER
mont educational institutions was eX-
plored to show the wisdom of our ances-
tors in encouraging educational and
literary excellence. The speaker ridi-
culed the idea of claiming the child to
the avocation of the parent by early APP
premiership and earnestly advocated the
intermingling of youth according to diff
ferences in creeds, habits and plans such
as college associations bring about. The
tone of the address was conservative.
Any encroachment upon the old Latin
and Greek studies was objected to. Prot.
Freemans remarks upon this subject
were quoted with approval. In reply to
the contention of the opponents of class
cal education, the address continued
1.-The answer to this common argument
Is that education is mental condition
which it is the object of classical colleges
to encourage and attain; the possibility
of education without college is no reason
for closing up colleges any more than
the possibility of travel without railroads
is a reason for discarding modern express
trains, or the possibility of learning the
best of English from the Bible and
Shakespeare is a reason for the burning
of all libraries. The question is not
what can be accomplished by few men
of genius without colleges, but how
much through scholarship can be gained
for every body through the aid of insti-
tutions especially designed and oiiicered
to train the human mind to its full
est capacity. 1t is true that all
the advantages in the world will
not transform a dolt into a student.
but it i equally true that the stimulus of
high educational aims in any community
will so raise the standard OF human effort
therein as to make it an extremely un-
comfortable home for fool. no matter
how much Inherited wealth he may pos
sess. Merit can find no more apprecia-
tive support than among the beneticiaries
of the best education, nor will any state
of society tend so vigorously to promote
its successful growth. The growth of
accumulated capital fosters an immense
increase in the nOn-producing class of n
great nation like the United States, which
would speedily become the worst poison
of the body polite without the purifying
influence of advanced education. Let the
heir of inherited abundance understand
the elemental truth that his title by de-
scent is granted by the government only
in trust to excite his ambition to improve
his opportunity tothe fullest advantage of
society, and the greater the wealth of our
country, the more Irresistible will be the
aspiration for the Improvement of the
whole people. Education is too necessa-
ry factor in the successful advance of
this great country 10 allow any triling
with our old-fashioned colleges. The
condition of the weak and the ignorant
and the depraved can never be strength
ened and improved except by teaching
them all the wisdom of better things.
Whether you try to reform the wealthy
idler or the thrftless tramp. you must be-
gin by teaching him the folly of his igno-
rant abuse of his opportunity. Beneyo-
ence without the sharp pangs of an
awakened intellect and conscience is
thrown away on profgates in all grades
of life" The speaker quoted from pri-
vate letter of the late Lord Houghton,
written in 1856, where he says: "As one
gets on in life, one of the most annoying
reflections is the little good one has done
by what people call benevolence, in fact,
how little man can be benefited by 9TH
ers." After humorously referring to Of
fetal reports on the long life and happi-
ness of public paupers whose material
condition apparently cannot be improved,
Mr.. Ellis concluded by some favorable
reference to small colleges and by saying
- Brains and ambition are the only aris
tocracy in American colleges. American
colleges are the avenues through which
every youth in the land is free TO pass 10
his own reward according to his deserts.
No question of birth or property troubles
the applicant for admission. Every one
stands on his own merit and carves out
his own career. The latest commercial
authority estimates that 25 per cent of all
enterprises fail because of sheer incOm-
potency. VIII the slavery of apprentice
ship or the freedom of classical develop
ment better remove such incompetency?"
John c. Miller, Esq, of Boston, who
graduated in 1852 and is a court stenog-
rapher, was next introduced and gave
the pOpm. His subject was Fire" which
he treated in excellent shape.
Mr.. Ellis nominated for honorary
member of the alumni association Alfred
C. Chaplin of Brooklyn, n. Y, and Mr..
Miller nominated Egbert 5. Dodge of
Boston, and these gentlemen were elect
ed by acclamation.
THE ALUMNI DINNER.
This was had at the Addison House at
o'clock p. m. on Tuesday. The dining
room was filled by the alumni and their
friends as were also two fables sat i'm the