The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-15

died ON March 4. 1892. He was OF the flftl
generation from Robert Porter. ono OF the pro
prietors who settled Pennington. Conn.,. ir
1640. himself the son OF Puritan minister It
England. who. on account OF his non-conform
ity, had been elected from the Established
Church. This fact we learn from Miss Sarah
Porter. who also tells US that four successive
generations were born on the Pennington
homestead and three OF its owners died there
all having lived to an advanced age. They
were farmers OF moderate means. God
fearing. upright respected men. The
subject Of this memorial bore the name
Of his grandfather and his father. The
first Noah Porter was disting uished for an in
telligent knowledge Of the Bible. gained. as 1t
turned out on inquiry. In his medltations as
he followed the plough. His whole life. with
the exception OF q short term OF service In the
Tieonderoga campaign in the Revolutionary
war. was passed In Pennington. His young
est son. Noah. was sent to Yale. and. after TAX
ing an A. B. degree and completing a course
Of theological study. became the pastor OF the
church ut Farmin gton where he lived for sixty
years. He married in 1903. Miss Mehetable
MeiRRs OF Middletown. Conn.,. and Noah the
future President OF Yale College. was their sec
ond son. 1t is interesting to learn that Noah
Porter began. when years old. the study OF
Latin and OF the other subjects taught by Yale
graduates In the Pennington Academy and
that he entered Yale College In his sixteenth
year. the smallest. though probably not the
youngest. boy in his class. 1t was characteris-
tic that even as q schoolboy and undergradu-
ate. he stoutly resisted the adoption OF the sibi-
liant sound OF III and dI as in nature. re,d,re.&c.
then recently introduced into Connecticut by
means OF Walkers Dictionary. 1t appears that
young Porter underwent a striking intel
lectual transformation from the beginning Of
his sophomore year. One Of his classmates
testifes that he evinced great accuracy and
Quickness in his mental movements and an
ability to grapple with any problem. mathe-
NAUTICAL or philosophical. He early showed
acuteness In reasoning. and gradually became
the master OF IN exact perspicuous. and at
times glowing style. At the same time he en-
bioited great sim plicity Of character. together
with n most genial disposition. breadth Of
sympathy. steadfas.ness in friendship. and a
spotless purity oflfe.
Aftcr his collegiate course was over. young
Porter taught for two years in the New Haven
Grammar School. and then for two years held
a tutorship in the college. during which period
he conn ined tutorial duties with study in TIE
divinity school. # was Just after leaving the
theological seminary that he married Miss
Mary Taylor. daughter OF DR.. n. W. Taylor.
who few years before had exchanged the
for the chair OF systematic theology In the
college. Mr.. Porter had already accepted a
call to the church at New Milford Conn. where
he remained from April ~. 1886. to Dec. 81.
1919 At the last mentioned date he became
the first pastor Of the Second Congregational
Church In Springfield, Mass. and continued
for some three and q half years to discharge
the duties of that office. He was rs years old
when In lS4G. he accepted an appointment as
Clark professor Of moral philosophy and met
aphysics In Yale College. and entered upon
what proved to be the main business Of his life
It will surprise many persons to hear that Dr.
Porter was the first professor Of phil osop ply and
ethics ct Yale. and that there was no provision
for instruction In history and political science
until about the same period President Woolsey
took upon himself these subjects- hitherto
the college had been really nothing but SUI
perior academy with three or four permanent
teachers and several tutors We are
told that o large part OF the senior year
had previously been devoted to preparation
for tho weekly meetings Of the public debat-
ing societies-Linonia and Brothers In Unity.
An innovation Of President Woolssy's admin
istration was the Introduction OF an afternoon
recitation In philosophy which Prof Porter
was to hear. while President Woosey gave
the morning Lesson In history. The seniors
had previously had no college work after din
ner. The practical outcome Of this innovation
was that the moulding Of the senior classes was
mainly the work Of these two men. who seem
to have supplemented each other with singu-
lar felicity. 1t Is said By one Of the contrib
utors to this memorial that Woolsey repre-
sented authority while Porter was an embodi-
mont Of friendliness. Woolsey inspired re-
spect which was almost awe. but Porter was
every students friend. For him and his pupils
the rigid barrier which divides or used to divide
students from teachers seemed hardly to oxist.
In an indeanable air OF comradsship lay the
secret OF his influence. Other instructors tried
to acquire the power OF making pupils feel at
ease with them. but they tried in vain. The
sense Of surveillance and exact responsibility
generated by the old system OF college gov
eminent and education by means OF marks
impaired to the students minds an attitude
which could not be dispelled at will or upon
tho friendly approach OF an instructor in some
unofficial moment. 1t was partly to break
down these barriers. so destructive OF personal
influence, that collegiate methods have In late
years been modified. II Dr. Porter was little
favorable to changes OF method. II was largely
because the old methods had never isolated or |
imprisoned him. His geniallty was all perva-
sive and irresistible Its roots lay In genuine |
sympathy He met his students on a level |
because he actually felt himself on a level |
with them. 1t 10, indeed. admitted that his |
mildness sometimes failed TO hush the rest
lessnsss Of youth. and his class room was not |
always q model OF Iuiet. but we are assured |
that the most reckless student was never In
tentionally discourteous 10 him. Whom he was
leaving the Presidency he said: mo young /
man has ever treated mo with dsrespect" 1t |
10 also acknowledged by one OF the contrlbu- |
tors to this volume that the old plan OF recita- |
lions belonged essentially to the system OF |
and authority and worked best |
when administered in severe and ener-
gstic way by men like Woolsey and |
Hutcheson. It did not accord With Por-
ter's gentlensss and gepiality of temDera.
ment which admirably fitted him 10 lead. but |
not to drive. In preparation and in recitation /
his students were likely to be lazy, Illicit helps
in the recitation room were used with great
freedons DR., McCosh was present. on one of
these occasions and a(torward said in amaze