Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-07-06
LEI STORY RETOLD.
HISTORY OF ~MlDOLEBURY COLLEGES
EVENTFUL CENTURY.

luufeSS DN IfOIcSSDf HOWARD on ttnlth-
NAL Day-The story of the College
Is the story of the Times and of the
Men who Made Them.
The centennial Grafton was delivered
by Professor Walter f. Howard, IL
D., a graduate of the college in the class
of II and its professor of political
science and of history. He said that to
rightly tell the story of Middlebury
college, one must also tell the story of
the times in which it grew and the men
who made the times. lie sketched the
character of the Puritans, of the men of
the 18th century. He stated that the
pioneers in the wilderness which is now
the state of Vermont were sons of Massa-
chusetts and of Connecticut. They laid
the corner stone of Middlebury college
In poverty and prayer. We do not know
the story of that days work. While
they built a college for their children,
they also built a for them
selves. The names of some who founded
this college and who have given it life,
We know. But not all. Let not the I'M
known founders and donors be forgotten.
this day. or ever. The story of the first
half century in the life of this college is
Il wonderful story.
/ AOub u VI III llNNblN VI NtN i1ii-
land college life a more wonderful record
has been made or a more wonderful
story can be told. The quality of the
work done here is measured by the men
who were educated in this college dur
ing the first 80 years Judges of supreme
courts, bishops, mitred and unmitred.
Scholars and teachers, statesmen and
poets. And what was the secret of that
success? First of all, good stuff. The
students who came here in that early
day were the sons of the men and women
| have told you of. They were the
heirs of their fathers sturdy piety and
their mothers sturdy faith, Strength of
body, power of mind, loyalty to con
science-this was their Puritan heritage.
These qualities they brought to college
when they came, and these qualities
strengthened and not enfeebled, enriched
and not starved, developed and not
dwarfed, they carried with them when
they went. And the world of that time,
their world and age. knew them and
welcomed them into its life and service.
One supreme advantage the boys of hat
time had. The were for the most part
poor.
One man as famous in his time as any
scholar of the classics in the world and
not forgotten vet, one evening topped
the Cornwall hills with Just six dollars
I'm his pocket for a -four wears college
course. He taught school winters and
tool; his pay in products of the farm
which in due course of nature he trans
muted into second aOrists and heXame-
tiers. Another, known wherever the
poet of the world Is read. used to carry
his shoes in his hand to the school
house door to save their wear upon the
gritty road. The bounty of generous
men and the liberality of the state have
made a college education so easy now
that 1t sometimes takes less courage and
enterprise to 20 to college than to stay
away. We are such devotees to educa.
tiOn in this country. the idea that a lib.
eral education is every boys due is 50
ingram with us. and the belief that it
will solve all problems and open all
doors is so common. that American
benefaction has largely displayed Itself
in freely opening college doors to all
who knock. Scholarships, fellowships,
prizes are now so common that no onC
who has nerve enough to convert a halt
formed wish into a lazy resolution need
90 u%ntaught. But the question may
well be asked if all this ease and lavish
ness of opportunity does not slack the
robust twist of independence and steal
courage and dull ambition and lull tho
beating heart of youth. But one thing
ii certainly does. 1t takes away neces-
sitv. II takes away the struggle. 1t
} lessons sacrifice. Let us hope that will
freedom from struggle comes not also
loss of strength, that with relief from
; sacrifice comes not also lack of force
and that when helped by Others the
beneficiary does not also forget to hell
a him Ea1f-anA avon n1rEn innrqtifnAn
f The raw material in those early day:
was good sacritice-ind duty like thi'
since time began. And the students o
? this college in all this work of home anC
! foreign missions have borne a splendid
: part. The history Of missions is largely
l a history of this college, And it is
3 story to be proud ola story that every
man may feel his eyes grow dim abou
e without shame. however little he MAJ
: syinpathiZe with the cause itself as a rec
+ ord of human courage, fidelity TO duty
love of humanity, loyalty to God that hai
: never been surpassed in the annals o
mankind. And there were the teachers
The schoolmaster was abroad in the land
He swarmed in the south and west. ru
tors in families. principals of schools
professors in colleges, presidents of uni
versities they were found in every grad,
VI lHC lthCitlS pl'lcSSluA anu III tNti
rank adorned it.. They were pioneers
They established schools and college
that have flourlshed for 80 years, ant
still endure. We are familiar with New
England's story in the west-it Is a twic
told tale. But the influence of the col
lege in the southern states before tn
war is quite as remarkable though bu
little known. As lawyers they took tn.
highest rank at the southern fair, a
teachers they were unsurpassed, a
: preachers they sustained New England
fame. As politicians they were mostl,
Wings and therefore little known to of
fetal life. But Intellectually, social,
and professionally they took the hughes
rank. Their influence was deep ant
, wide and has endured. They touches
the southern life at many points and i
all those things that make for law, 70
education, for Christian character an
civic virtue their work is still remembers,