The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1892-02-12

Corvallis college remained under the dircG@
tion andcontrol of the NJ. sE. Church. SOUTH,
and ssalthough called the state agricultural
college, and receiving the revenues arising
from the land grant of the United States for
the agricultural college, it claimed little Of
the distinctive character OF an AGRICULTURAL
and mechanical technical school, or to-
speak more correctly, although claiming,
those titles it did not, perhaps could not,
do much to justify the name. The faculty
was small i'll number, the revenues were
limited, and each professor was required to
fill many parts, to cover the lines laid down
in plan of work of literary and scientific;
school with an agricultural department
added. But although President Arnold
might be heard at one hour teaching
chemistry, and the next moral science,
and the next English literature and the
next grammar and construction of LAM
guage, 1t would have been impossible to-
| tell to which subject he had given the most
study, or, i'll which lecture he was most
| successful in calling out the thought anGs
| interest Of his students.
to surrender to the State of Oregon the
| Agricultural College, to the end that the
! State might widen its work, strengthen its;
| staff, and increase the number of its stu
dents, and the State of Oregon accepted
that surrender, and by the acts of 1883
constituted the present board of regents,
then President Arnold entered heartily and
most zealously into the counsels and plans
of those who were striving to fulfill the
States behests on behalf of her growing;
sons and daughters. He grasped fully the
great possibilities of this seed grown by the
Nation and fostered by the State. Although
his own love was chiefly given to the
literary culture and book learning in whicls
his soul delighted, yet he joined in all the
| new aims invoIycd in the State Agricultural
| College as it might and should be. The
time came swiftly on when, by the actiors
of the II. E. Church, South. in attempting
to undo their own work, and regain control
of the college, President Arnold was forced
to the hard choice of either taking part
| with the authorities Of the church i'll which
he had been reared in this effort, of
abandoning his old associations, breaking
the ties which held him to the support Of
| the church authorities, and casting in hiS
| lot with the state board of regents in their
| new departure. When the time for action
came his mind was made up, his action waS
decided, and he took his place active
worker in that course which during the
past three years and Il half has succeeded
in placing..the State Agricultural COLLEGE Of
Oregon in the ranks of full progress in the
grand and useful work of industrial cduca-'
ton.
Enough, perhaps, has been said as to-
Pr .sident Arnold's teaching powers and
work Il college professor. Much more
than teaching power is demanded of the
president of an American agricultural colf
lege in particular; special breadth of view5
trct and Judgment in dealing with the pubs
lie, as well as 5h students of all ages, and
with special colleagues of varying his
tory and training-all these are Imperative
necessities. In addition to these daily
calls on his thought and time wide corres-
pondence falls to his LOT. Few Offices are
more'engrossing in their demands en- man5
few, Indeed, there are which are SO hard toy
fill. In many Of these difficult duties
President Arnold shone brightly. AS to-
his kinduesss, tact, Justice and carefulnes5
in handling the special peculiaritics an&
weaknesses OF those students who have to-
be dealt with by the president, many can
testify, and for these gracious qualities his
memory will long be blessed.
His courtesy to- his colleagues in tho
faculty was unvaryiny and marked. He'
was wise counsellor, and staunch friend.
His industry enabled him to carry load of
duties which would crush! many men; the
danger was plain to others, but never to-
himself, that health and strength might
fail when too severely tried. Even when
disease had laid its deadly hand upon hinf
he refused to listen to voices urging him to-
necessary rest; he insisted on laDoring ons
until overtaxed nature yielded utterly, and
then the end drew on too fast. But ono
short week from his last lecture M his class+
room and death had claimed him for hiS
own.
During the last few years of his life ho
was regular attendant on the services OF
the Episcopal church, and there sounded
solemn fitness in the grand words of the
burial service of that church, read at the
college chapel, announcing the Christian
hope and confidence i'll which his remains
were committed to the tomb. 'fOh, death,
where is thy sting? Oh, grave, whore i5
thy victory?'' The teacher died--his infu@
ence lives-and lives to spread and deepen
as his pupils pass and out into the wide
world, to be his monument marking not his
grave, but his undyiug life. His public
life is open for all to profit by; his pri.
vate life was ip harmony with the quiets
gentle, retiring nature of the man.
President Arnold was twice married-aS
"a years old to Miss Addie Lea, of Leas-
burg North Carolina, who, dying five
years afterwards, left one son, called Harry
Arnold who, as a teacher at % is worthily
following his fathers's steps. Eight years
after his first wife's death second mar.
riage to Miss Minnie White has been fol-
lowed by Is years of quiet and uninterS
rupted happiness. President Arnold's life
was shared between his family, his college
and his books. Notoriety he shunneds
the glare of public life had for him no at.
traction. By long course OF duties we'll
done, of work faithfully pursued, he wrought
out an influence the force of which it has
been left for his death to discover. He hay
left to his sons heritage of honor which