Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-04-24
PRES. BUCKHAM MAY RETIRE
Indicates to the University Of Vermont
Alumni That He May go Out with
Observance OF Colleges Cen
tennial.

Boston, April 1S--One Of the most sue
cessful reunions ever held by the New
England Alumni of the University Of Yer
mont occurred here tonight at the Parker
House. There were only 80 present but
the spirit of the meeting was admirable
and love for Ncrmonts state University
was manifested on every hand. The eX-
crcises were in the hands of Charles a.
Catlin of Providence and addresses We're
made by Matthew II. Buckham, president
of the University of Vermont: Or. II. G.
rinkham, dean of the medical faculty, Dr.
j. Henry Jackson of the medical depart
ment, Prof Davis X. Dewey of the Mass
achusetts Institution of Technology, Il. T.
w. Rogers and Karl "A. Andren.
Toastmaster Catlin in his opening adj
dress spoke of the great advantages which
the University of Vermont had as a small
college over other institutions of the same
size and suggested among other things
that the University of Vermont. which
owns the top of Mount Mansfield, should
| establish an astronomical observatory at
that point.
President Buckham in graceful speech
told of the present conditions at the Uni
versity and laid especial stress upon the
coming centennial which occurs in 1901.
Although the University was founded in
| 1871 1t did not graduate any students until
1904. President l'ucl<ham said the centen-
NAL would be made the greatest event in
the history of the college.
"All the alumni that can possibly be
reached, will he urged to return to their
Alma Mater for this event" said he. 1T
will be II memorable year and one fun Of
opportunities. one of those opportunities
! may be Il chance to elect new president
| if you wish" When asked after the meet
ing whether he contemplated closing his
| long and successful career after the celc-
braton Of 1901, President Buckham said that
| hn IA ha ltlg hal hail
jokingly, but that he really of late had
thought that he might retire after 1891.
President Buckham in his remarks this
evening said that many preparatory
schools We're doing work which might bet
ter be done in colleges. lie thought that
an educational system ought to be ar
ranged so that young man could gradu-
ate from &c at the age of 20 but that
| in that case there ought not to be many
elective courses. The electives he said
| should come when ne chose his life work
and WAS in II technical school. The presi-
dent said that there was growing inn
portance attached to Il higher education
and college men We're getting better recos-
milton socially and in business than form
crly. The two most talked of men in Amer
lea he said were college men. Theodore
Roosevelt and j. pierpont Morgan. 1t was
a good sign that tn" sons of rich men wcr,
going to college more than ever and find
Or. Tinkham spoke briefly but earnestly
in behalf OF the medical department. Il,
| said its graduates in competition wer,
| able to more than hold their own with tn,
/ graduates of other colleges. The UniVcr
/ sity had found the new four years cours,
in the medical department a necessity anC
it was successful. lie closed by urgna
the needs of his department for II large
endowment. Later in the evening Dr
Jackson supplemented all that DR.. link
! ham had said about the need of more
funds, which he said should go not onl!
to new buildings but to endow specia
chairs in the medical faculty.
Professor Dewey said that the prescn
acadcmical courses which called for fou
years work were in his opinion too long
lie thought they should be reduced /,
three, SO that the man VINO intends to ell
| ter professional life could do 50 at al
early date. He also thought it was no
Il wise idea for small colleges to under
| take to do graduate work. This should h
left to the larger universities, for in tn
smaller colleges, the professors who wer
called upon to supervise graduate worl
must either do ii at the expense of thci
regular undergraduate work or else do /
in "A way unjust to the graduate student
After amusing stories by Mr.. Andren ant
an address by Mr. Rogers in which n
spoke of the University in the highcs
close. The officers elected were chosel
unanimously AS follows: President. Charlie
!, \. Catlin. '13: Vicc-prcsidcnts, Davis II
Dewey. 20 +. T.. Woodruff, "a; DR.. l.. j
young, II; James Buckham. 81; DR.. r. II
Clapp. 50: secretary and treasurer, ALDER
f. Lewis 81 assistant secretary ant
treasurer, +. r. Jcwett. 90; chaplain, tn
Rev. George Y. Bliss, 50; executive com
mittee, Chairman George II. Anderson, %
j. r. Kiddor. so; pr Albert Mott, s.
Don a. Stone, Is, and George w. Benedict
. '93.
Those present We're Karl Andren. q
Charles l.. Allen. SO; Geo. Z. Anderson
90; John W. Buckham, 80; James Buck
ham, 81; DIR, +. G. Bruce, G. a. Catlr
'73; DR. f. II. Clapp, So l.. s. Doten, -
g. w. Doten, '95; DIR. Almon Cooper, IS
Davis r. Dewey, 70; DR.. f, L. Halves, 81
DR. ]. Henry Jackson, 30; DIR. +. 7
! Kidder so; DR. Albert Mott. 60; DIR. f. {
Grlrger IT; w. K Newton. 81; r. =. "
Rogers, rs; A. p. Stockwell. 30; d. 4
: Stone. rs: II. b. spencer 1900; A. n
Vaughan, '9S; DIR. l.. j. Young, u; and Dl
w. Il. Thorning '9S.