Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-09-30
MIDD' REVIEWED
WHAT A STRANGER LEARNED ABOUT
OUR COLLEGE.

A Troy Times Correspondent Visits Mid
dlobury and Writes Enter tainiugly of
the Colleges History, Character and
Work-some of Its Famous Graduates
How well Middlebury has realized her
mission is known, yet may be better
realized by brief review of her history,
says James II. Ross in the course OF an
article on Mlddlebury college in the
Troy Times of Sept, 10. The college is
virtually daughter of Yale and origin
ated 100 years later than that institution
1t is a noteworthy fact in the education
al world that Yale is preparing to cele-
brate her two hundredth and Middle
bury her one hundredth anniversary.
In 1898 Rev. Timothy Dwight, d. D.,
then president of Yale, visited Middle
bury. He was accustomed to ride
through New England. The first per-
son who conceived the idea of having a
college in Mlddlebury was Col. Seth
Storrs G75G-1S27), native of Mans
field, Conn, and graduate of Yale
The father of jeremiah Evarts, when
conveying his son to Yale, called on
Colonel Storrs in MiddleburY, whittier
the colonel himself had come in 1874.
II occurred to the colonel that college
within the state was desirable, and on
mentioning the subject to President
Dwight, with whom he had been asso-
ciated in conducting an academy at
Northampton, Mass, he was encouraged
The Addison County Grammar school,
nearly completed, was int nded to be
the germ of future college. The
charter raising it into college
was granted Nov. l, 1900. Colonel
Storrs was aided by four other citizens,
chiefly, in securing it, viz: Gamaliel
Painter Q743-1Sl9), who was born at
New Haven, Conn, and had been a
citizen of Middlebury about twenty seven
years; Semuel Miller tl764-lSl0), ma
tive of West Springfield, Mass; Darius
Matthews Q766-lSl9), a native of Ches-
hire, VT, who was one of the first
farmers in this section of Vermont to
manage large farm without the use of
spirituous liquors, and Daniel Chapman.
jeremiah Atwater, a tutor in Yale. had
been selected principal of the academy
in 1893, and by the charter of the college
he WAS made its president, although he
continued principal of the grammar
school until 1905.
Middlebury, chronologically, was the
twenty-sixth college in this country.
Its founders were its benefactors.
Colonel Storrs bequeathed the site of
the edlfces; Mr.. Painter bequeathed
$4,000; Samuel Miller gave $1,000
toward endowing professorship'
President Atwater was the institution
during the first half dozen years of its
history, aided by tutor or tutors, as
circumstances required. His presidency
covered its first nine years. The first
student was graduated in 1902. Nc
professor was elected until 1906. At the
time of incorporation the whole proper
tv, buildings, funds, lands and library
was worth less than $4,000.
The college is Independent, non-sec
tartan, allied neither with the state no
the church. In these particulars it re
sembles Princeton. Naturally enough
it looks to Vermont to furnish sympa
thetic support, and to Congregational
lists to be chief among its helpers. Blu
it has been maintained almost exclusive
" by private beneticence. 1t was an
is Christian college, various demon
nations being represented in its facult
and among its students. There were re
vivals of religion, in the strict eyange
istiC sense. in 1905, 1909, 1871 and ISL
The Phlladelphiap and the Philometh'
sian societies, the one religious an
the other literary society, date frol
President Atwaters administration
Ministers and missionaries are prom
nent among its graduates.
Origins are always interesting; nOr
more so than the origins of colleges.
is not my purpose to go beyond the OF
gin of Middlebury in this letter, a
though Judging from my limited eXpel
ence IN studying the history, it increas
in interest as it advances. The studen
have not come from Vermont only, n
from New England exclusively, b
from the middle and southern state
At the time of its greatest prosperity
reputation drew students from Ne
York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania al
from the South as far as Georgia.
drawing upon the South it resembl
the other New England colleges a
Princeton and Union colleges. Il
war of 1876 depleted all of them
the withdrawal of southern students a
the enlistment of undergraduates. VIII
the college had passed its sixty-fil
year it had graduated nearly IL
students, educated eighteen cole
presidents and sixty professors for its
and other colleges and profession
schools in New England, the mid
states and the South and the interi
Nearly 100 teachers had been furnish
for high schools and academies in nea
all our states. 1t has furnished Verm
with four governors and one Uni
States senator (Hon. Solomon Foo
1t had furnished New York with
governor, Hon. Silas Wright, who '
also United States senator from n
York. 1t had sent out fifteen coDgr'
men. Its sons have occupied seats
fha highest cOurts of several states