New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-03
WILLIAMS COLLEGE.
THE BOOK OF ITS CENTENNIAL ANN
VERSARY.

Grafton, October to 10, 1898. on the Genten ma
. Anniversary of the Founding OF Williams COZ
lege Pr vii $50. John Wilson Son Cam
bridge Mass.
Madame. far be It from me TO DO ausht against
the laws of your realm; but have planted an
acorn which. when II becomes an oak, Goa only
knoweth what 1t will amount to- Thus ala tha'
sturdy old Puritan Sir John Midway. make decara'
ton to Queen Elizabeth Of the founding OF Enmah-
College,: and even he. strong IN the rugged
faith which emancipated the world could foresee
the part that Emmanuel College was TO play IN the
educational system OF a people over the sea
1t would have required gift OF more than second
sight in Elizabeths time 10 anticipate the series Vi
arbitrary acts that was 10 mark the reign OF the
wisest fool in Chrisendom," and the tyranny OF MS
son. Yet there premoniton OF what was 10 oe
in the OF that ecclesiastical commission "hich
drove John Robinson and his congregation 10 Hol-
land Among these exiles were those VINO "ouio
soon risk all in the Mayhower During all the IN
tervenng years prior 10 the time when Charles l.
fell. the emigration 10 New England comprised many
men of the schools and the professions. bishop
Iaud in spite Of himself FASTENED the beginnings
Of higher education n ohe colonies which ne ue-
spised. He the v:elder OF influences that grove
To New-E England John Harvard and others oy whose
hands were laid the foundations not only OF great
seats OF learning but Of the whole system OF tree
education. But John Harvard was from that very
Emmanuel College watch Sir John Mildmay caiied
his acorn lie had Lrwttingly planted forest IN
stead OF single tr>e
II was lefs for America show that enthusiasm
for the higher education not the attribute soeiy
of university men. The handsome book in hand is a
tribute in fact. II name. 10 the memory OF a
man whose training was tina; OF the common
schools Ephram Wioms doubtless realized IN his
own experience the benefit OF that fruitful law OF
Massachusetts: In every township there must be
a public school and where any township shall in
crease to a hundred families OF househoders, they
shall up grammar schools. the masters thereoi
being able 20 instruct the youth so that they may
be fitted for the university Indeed In his Will the
founder OF Williams College did not use the wori
college. He simply made provision for the support
and maintenance of free school in West Town
ship on condition that II fall within the Ju'sdc-
ton OF Massachusetts Bay. and that the Governor
and General Court give the said township the name
OF WILLIAMSBURG" In transmitting the VII! 10 one
Of the executors named in H. ne accompanied II with
q letter asking for i consultation as TO the legality
of its form You will perceive" he wrote anX-
tously that have given something for the bene-
ut Of those unborn-and for the sake OF those poor
creatures am mostly concerned. for fear my VIII
should be broke" John Fiske has furnished the
key to the benefcence Of Williams by the remark.
1T was the Puritan theory OF life that lay at the
bottom Of the whole system Of public education In
New England" And Chancellor Garfield. OK the
University OF Nebraska in his GRAFTON published in
this volume enlarged upon that thought They
planted the church and the schoolhouse sife by
side, he says, 10 strengthen anu qu''Ne" e"0"
other; and though they were narrow and short |
sighted enough. God wied that their intolerance
nd their bigotry should be their left hand while
in their right they held the torch which should |
finally light the way for the weakest and humoiest |
child in the find the truth that alone can
make him free. That beacon-lisht was the public |
school knowledge and faith were the banner words |
OF our ancestors in the then new world
In view Of the historic position OF Williams Coege
and its Puritan genesis and of share It has had
in the formative labor attending the growth OF the
National system OF education. it may well be hoped
that this volume. comprising the utterances OF 80
many distinguished scholars. will reach a wider
circle even than that the colleges friends alumni
and patrons The illustrations comprise pictures q
all the college buildings and fac-simile OF Ephraim
wiluamss will. The minute handwriting OF this
document is beautiful testimony 10 the fact that
American script already had marked peculari'es IN
the times Of George H.