New-York tribune., 1908-11-05
ALL PRAISE DIR. ELIOT.
Butler and MdcCracken Tell of HIS
York as Educator.


College presidents and Harvard graduates in this
city expressed great surprise when they learned
yesterday resignation of President Eliot of
Harvard. President Butler of Columbia University
and Chancellor MacCracken of New York Univer-
sity praised him highly and heped that the country
would long feel his influence in intellectual life
President Butler. when informed the resigna-
ton Of Dr. Eliot. said
The announcement Of Mr. EIiot's deffnitive
ignation Of the presidency OF Harvard University
hardly be said to BE- entirely unexpected Pres
deat Eliot has frequently during few
years given indications to his friends Of inten-
ton to resign his distinguished post while in the
fun enjoyment of his health and powers 1t
too much say that his career has been Of
national significance and Importance. When he
sumed the presidency Of Harvard the post of col
lege president associated in the public mind
with scholar probably a clergyman, of q rather
definite type whose occupations and interests
centred solely in about the institution
which he presided. and were in large part remote
from the world of business and affairs. The years
which have elapsed have brought a complete
change. and not only has the type Of college
university president been changed, but the occu-
parioRs and activities Of these officers are new
and wholly different from what they gen
eraton ago
Mr.. Eliot has represented in mis- personality
end in his own activities this transition and this
development. He Io1g since become q leading
citizen the United States vocinc with singular
luci'7ity of thought and felicity Of expression the
highest ideals and the visest reHectiors. OF the
American people. NJ M FrGot's peculiar services
Harvard It is for Others 70 speak: Of his secure
place leader in American intellectual life and
representative Of instructed and elevated pub
lie opinion. Of US Who are 50 fortunate as 70
he his friends too much. The task Of
finding successor 10 Mr. Eliot is rot enviable
one
Chancellor Henry NJ MacCracken OF New York
University. who has known and been 4 friend OF
Dr Eliot for many years. was sorry to hear yes
ter1ay Of the resignation Of the Harvard president
but he believed that Dr. Eliot would not he lost
! a national educator.
Harvard and Dr, Eliot haze been congeniaI1y
! welded for forty years he said. He has magn-
fed Harvard. and she has justly exalted him in
He has led IN changing what chiefly
college OF undergraduates into a great American
university HIS policy fer the American undergrad
uate college has never recommended Itself to me
as has the policy Of Daniel c. Gilman. of Johns
Hopkins, and others The extreme elective system
distinctly infericr 70 the group system for the
average youth OF nineteen years.
The development of the Harvard graduate school
under Dr. Eliot has been ot value national cult
Ure- His reorganization Of the medical faculty Of
Harvard many years ago contributed much to place
II in the foremost rank in America
President Eliot has wrought less inside the
bounds of the Harvard campus than in the vast
field Of education for America. His resignation
from this broader work will hardly be accepted by
American teachers while his life strength
continued
Austen 9. Fox. so. president of the Harvard
club and also president Of the Harvard General
Alumni Association. vas seen last night at his
home. No. 81 East S9th street
President Eliot" he said. has done more than
any other to build UP Harvard. When en-
tered the university there less than fifteen
I students from the city Of New York probably in
the total registration Of about five hundred Now
the Harvard Club in this city has three thousand
members and splendid clubhouse and one-haIf Of
these members are resident in New York. All this
is due to Eliot"
Edward King member Of President EIiot's
class Of 80 and president Of the Union Trust
COMPANY declared that DR.. Eliot had done more
than any man to build up Harvard University.
When a reaches his age" said Mr.. King
who IS himself as strong and active as Harvard's
president, he ought think OF retiring There
fore / say IS any surprise to me that
he is resigning. Harvard will lose great man, a
/ who has made more improvements in the
, standards Of scholarship throughout the country
than any other He has probably done more good
for Harvard than any one else has done or can do.
I am very sorry that he is through"
J. J. Higginson, Harvard. - Of No 16 East 4lst
1 street. OF whose brothers. Henry NJ Hgginson
is a member Of the Harvard Corporation and an
other Francis l. Higgnson. is a member of the
board Of overseers. said that he surprised
10 hear Of the resignation
After forty years in the harness President Eliot
is naturally tired and wants rest he said 1T
will ba a great loss of course but then ae viii
the university the benefit of his presence and ad-
vice"
Francis r Appleton 75, 4 member Of the board
Of overseers Of Harvard University. Of No Is East
9th street said that Harvard would sustain a
great loss
AS the foremost educator in The United States
- .l,,oe+ it's first citizen. President Eliot did
most valuable work for Harvard. Forty years Of
fafhflll service certainly deserves rest. but We
arc ali more than sorry that it has come now
..cf .orrsa several men have been spoken Of
., s,ccaad him Among these is Professor Il
Baron Russell Briggs dean Of TIE 1acultE OF arts
- sciences lie would be a most excellent man
in every way l,,
/. p Marvin secretary OF the Harvard club
said ne was much surprised TO hear Of President
EIIot's gnatiou-
OF course ii will be tremendous loss 10 Hat
,-a-d - he said A Of his public chafac,e'
s,d s,teinrnepts must necessarily he missed Ihe
la, ,i,a ssv. him he was in excellent heaIlh 'ilo
as rob,st AS 4 man Of nfty Many supposed thst
he would be useful so the univers}- io' se"'' ~
. come