Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-07-06

tne distinguished alumni whose names have
decorated their catalogues of whom our
people have long been justly proud, show
that sound learning has been as surely ac-
CURED Ivy students here as by those in the
more richly endowed colleges and univer
stiles elsewhere. Leisure and travel to
them will more properly come later Equal
learning can be obtained here with for bat
ter economy fer both the State and indvi-
duals. Homo-lIfe, the personality, and the
mental calibre of the people of Vermont,
more purely of the Anglo-Saxon race
tnan those of most other States,
appear to me not unworthy of perpetuation,
and to this end the influences of home and
of home-teachers never fail to largely con
tribute. My pulse beats more quickly
whenever hear any of tho historic roll OF
names recalled of Nermonts ancient
worthless, who have done some solid work
that lasts. Each of these uupretontious
celebrities we all regard as Washington re-
garded Ethan Allen, when he declared there
was Fan original something in him which
commanded admiration, - and to this ia
nous heritage of honor succeeding genera
tions should not fail to contribute.
Few States, however, are wholly destitute
oil pessimists or of disconnected individuals
ever having the worst surroundings who
Imagine they might be more happy TO dwell
on Mars or Jupiter than on the earth and
we have those with an equally lofty sense to
whom distance leads enchantment to the view
Of far away and expensive colleges, where it
has been wittily said, many seek culture
''by going through college without having
college go through them, - but roam where
we will, sound learning can nowhere be &C
CURED without Unborn zeal and personal eff
tort-both of which have the highest posi-
billties of inspiration and encouragement
from contigu ity to oil the moral virtues aud
simple habits of home life. The Green
Mountain boy will nowher, count for more
as anything else. The evolution even of a
Yankee to a Londoner turns out merely a
poor counterfeit of poor cockney. True
learning is cosmopolitan and every where
accredited at its exalted value bat, how
ever profound j: may be- it is never super
ior to character and the touch OF personal
character or OF genius is wont to disclose
its local origin, and never attempts to con
ceal its birth place. TO the Green Noun
tains let our homes anG hearts cling for
ever If there be elsewhere oftier heights
they are colder and adorned with less YER
dure and if there be prouder colleges, they
are colder, and, IL may be, adorned with
fewer virtues.
fill every duty in behalf of common schools,
it has done in behalf of academies, or
preparatory schools, and it is to be hoped
Will never exhibit laggard interest IN tue
support of its best and big hest institutions
81 liberal learning. 1t has none better than
The Vermont University and State A.ri-
cultural college, The College may be do
rlded by those having tho liver complaint but
their nausea cannot be accepted as a tymp-
tom of profound wisdom
The first care of the founders of Vermont
seems TO have been to exclude outside land
grabbers, TO whom it became judicious, ac-
coriing to Ethan Allen, sometimes to apply
'the beech seal. - The next care, like tbat
of other New England Puritans, was
that good learning should not
perish from among us" 1t was in
accord with this dominant. IDEA
that '.he Vermont University came forth
rather proudly as our first born State in
sNlution OF LIBERAL learning aud when 1T
was, % years ago, lawfully united for life to
the lanl grant college, nobody forbidding
the banns, the State retained the authority
to elect tho trustees OF the latter, thereby
making half Of the united board subisct
to the popular will. This board has re
sponded and will respond to the wishes of
the General Assembly of the State, which
1t may he assumed will never be in conflict
with either the State or national charters
nor with the supplemental act of Congress
granting tho additional endowment 1t
may not be improper Tor me to declare that
SO far as my observation has gone, there
has never been any reluctance to favor
measures proposed for tie Advancement of
instruction in agriculture aud the mechanic
arts by any member of the board Of trus-
tees, and progress in that direction has
never halted, except when held up by inher-
ing financial necessity. Our State, it is true.
gave very limited original aid to the Uni
versity, and, having large war debt in
lSU0, none whatever to the Ctarting and
permanent foundation Of the Land Grant
College when the two were, as | believe, SO
fortunately for the State, forever welded
together. At that time the inchoate College
was a supplicaut to be housed, but Mother
the State nor any town seemed then able
and willing to offer it decent shelter. At
last the trustees of the Vermont University.
not eagerly but very CONSIDERABLY proposed
generous terms of union, which were ac-
cepted and made Of binding force forever
by an act Of the Legislative Assembly, and
thus the Land Grant College did not perish
for lack OF friendly nurse. Beyo doubt
1t was a good thing for the University, and
good thing for Burlington, but it was the
paramount want OF the College, and tue
best and wisest thing then and now for the
State.
Recently, however, the fortunes of the
College have improved 1t is no more
poor relation 1t is known to have re-
ceived "a further considerable national lega.
cy TO sustain its many new branches of
instruction, and now, as it often happens
impecunious kindred multiply, and those
who stood aoof heretofore with untiring
neglect, suddenly claim to be "a little more
than kin. " but who were really "lsss than
kind, " as some of them appeared willing,
trust not so now, to part its garments and
cast lots for their distribution.
ltisnot possible that any legal separation of
the University and College, or that an equit-
able div IA of the present combined estates
with all heir vested rights, can ever be had
without grim .and tedious lawsuit, and
this, whether determined in favor of the
union, as it appears to me 1t surely
would be, or adversely could not fail to
greatly cripple the usefulness of the college
"A result that all friends of industrial edu-
cation should seek to avert.