The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-11-27
ABOUT PRESIDENT GILMAN.
/ Few Words Concerning His Brilliant

president of Johns Hopkins university,
who few days ago resigned his posi-
ton as the head Of that institution, be-
cause he has reached the age of three
score years and ten has been brilliant
one. He graduated from Yale in 1852,
finishing his studies in Berlin, While
abroad he Travelled extensively, giving
particular attention to the social polit-
ical and educational conditions of the
countries he visited
In 1855 he became librarian of Yale,
and subsequently professor of political
and physical geography. While there
he was secretary of the governing board
of the Sheffield scientific school. He
was also superintendent of the public
schools of New Haven, and later a
member for several years of the state
board of education.
In 1872 he became president of the
university of California and remained
at the head of that institution until
1876, when he went to Johns Hopkins.
AS president of many scientific socie-
ties and as q member of the Venezue-
Ian commission, appointed by President
Cleveland, DR. Gilman has distinguish
ed himself. But, most of all, his career
reflects honor and success by his SPLEEN
did uplifting OF the Johns Hopkins
university from a couple of humble
buildings to its present imposing mag
nifcense and standing.
pa1hDnC &c liIt aui5aOCa oF
good learning and good sense" that
DR.. Gilman retires in the flood-tide of
his success.
a few years ago he was one of the
chief speakers at Yale Alumni dinner
at the commencement exercises and
made brilliant address, which was all
the more enjoyed because of the speak
er's magnetic address, his loyalty to old
Yale and the presence of so many who
had been associated with him in his
work at Yale. When a professor at
Yale President Gilman was one of those
at Yale interested in founding and pro-
noting the success of the Davenport
Sunday school, a mission school which
was located on Wallace street, about
midway between Chapel and Greene
81 SNcEs anu SCI NGQ ltI SOlllG llile as
superintendent of the school. He was
also one Of the teachers of the school
for year or two. He took a great in
terest in New Haven public school mat
tiers and was one of the first of the Yale
professors to serve the city of New
Haven in its school affairs. His ser
vices on behalf of the schools was most
devoted and salutary.
Concerning his retirement from Johns
Hopkins as its president the New York
Evening Post pays him the following
dignified and merited tribute:
On the completion of twenty-five
years of distinguished service as presi-
dent of the Johns Hopkins university,
President Gilman will resign his charge
to a younger man. 1t is fitting now to
call the significance of that extraordi-
nary education development which he
initiated and guided in America. When
in 1875 he accepted the presidency of
the new Johns Hopkins university, the
institution was all to make, and fortu-
nately President Gilman was given a
free hand. The founder advantage not
enjoyed by all organizers was dead,
and subject of Identification rather
than of negotiation. The trustees trust
ed their man implicitly, and he proved
worthy of their confidence. He gave
the new university an ideal Of exact
scholarship and n working plan of
original research. It was new idea in
American education. Individual schol-
ars, like Whitney of Yale and Child of
Harvard, had managed to find occasion
al students fit for discipleship. hut
their efforts We're isolated and almost
without honor in their own colleges
At Harvard President Eliot undoubted-
ly held already the ideals which he has
since splendidly realized. but his was
the task of superimposing a university
on college old-style--a condition which
made his work one of infinite pains and
and required much time
whereas President Gilman started de
novo, with what appeared to be then
abundant funds.
Where other men would have built
handsome buildings he sent north and
south and across the water for few
great scholars, and set them to teach
ing in such quarters as lay nearest to
hand. Early Hopkinsonans, il not
'evil-treated, studied almost Sin caves
and the holes of the EARTH" and in fact
it Is only of recent years that the uni
versity has been decently housed; but
in each of these shabby rooms were the
necessary books, and a great specialist
with his disciples and co-Workers He |
proved, as the Nation said at the time,
that the body of instructors was the |
real thing, and that you might have a
university land a pretty good one, I'M
der tent with a library of five hun |
dred volumes kept in soap boxes" You
might have hunted over America in |
vain In the late '70s to find another
such institution, and nothing has been |
more gratifying than the generous way |
IN which the great universities which |
carried out President Gill |
mans idea, and carried it further than |
he, with small and shrinking resources, |
could do, have acknowledged his leader
ship in shaping the American university |
deal. 1t was largely his work in it's
l1rect and indirect effects that gave
American scholarship it's citizens rights
n the academic world at large. Some
such reflections the news of his retire
nent will bring to all interested in
higher education in America. President
Gilman resigns ostensibly in obedience !
o the unWritten law that three-score-
1nd-ten are the years of an admfnistra-