University Missourian., 1908-11-05
PRESIDENT ELIOT
To LEAVE HARVARD
Foremost Educator of United
States Announces His
Resignation.
HAD SERVED FORTY YEARS
Years Old, But
His Retirement Came as
a Surprise.
HAD SERVED FORTY YEARS

CAMBRIDGE, Mass, Nov. 5.-Charles
w. Eliot, president of Harvard Univer'
sity, the founder of the modern college
curriculum and the foremost educator
in the United States. announced his res
ignation yesterday after nearly forty
years service at the head of the univer-
sity.
While DIR. Eliot is "a years old he has
been in vigorous health and his resig-
nation comes as surprise. A few years
ago there was talk of movement to
have President Roosevelt, who is a Har-
ward alumnus, succeed DIR. Eliot as
president, but the idea has not been
pushed recently.
Up to forty years ago the president
of Harvard college had commonly been
IL superannuated clergyman. The col
leec did violence to its traditions and
shocked its constituents by electing to
the presidency at that time Mr. Eliot,
then youngster of 30, layman and a
man of science.
Charles Eliot had entered Harvard at
IL. The next year-lS54-he became tu-
tor of mathematics in the college and
continued in that position four years.
From lS5S to 1868 he was assistant pro-
fessOr of mathematics and chemistry in
the Lawrence Scientific School, Harvard.
During 1869 he was in Europe study
ing chemistry and investigating the ed
ucational methods of the European
schools. From 1865 to 1869, when he
was called to Harvard as president, he
was professor of analytical chemistry
in the Massachusetts Institute of Tech
nolOgy. 1t was while busy teaching
chemistry-and busy; also, with specu-
lations as to how the new scientific
thought was to modify and transform,
perchance, educational ideals and meth
ods-that Prof. Eliot found himself, in
1868, compelled, as an alumnus, to face
the problem of the future of Harvard.
The Rev. Thomas Hill, ID. D., the presi-
dent had resigned.
A Possible Mill Manager.
The governing corporation decided on
the rash and hazardous step of making
Eliot his successor because of three con-
sideratiOns:
In the first place he had been sue
cessful teacher at Harvard and the BOs-
ton Institute of Technology for dozen
years.
Secondly, he had printed two revolu-
tionary articles in the Atlantic Monthly
on THE New Education"
Finally, in settling his fathers estate
he had shown such business capacity
that he had been offered the manage
ment of Lowell cotton mill at a sal
ary of $S5,OOO year-twice what any
position in America then
paid.
The friends of the innovation didn't
win without fight. Decision of the
matter rested in the first instance, with
he cOrpOratiOn-six men, all advanced
in years, and therefore inclined to be
Two of them brought the
others to their way of thinking. But
the board of Overseers, made up of |
hirty of the alumni. refused to ratify
he choice. The corporation refused to |
'ecede, and again named Mr. Eliot. Then
he board of overseers capitulated, but |
rot gracefully, and at the next COM
dinner the young president
lad cool reception.
He Began Recognizing.
No sooner was he elected-in May,
500 - and inaugurated - in October
han the work of construction and CO.
at Harvard began. For it is
S constructor-not destroyer-that
resident Eliot rightly says he cares to
e remembered. Departments of the
like the medical school, indie
endent of the university in matters
90 vital to be tolerated longer, were
oon brought into proper relations to the
overning body. The law school was
pvitalized, and a dean-Prof. C. C.
who, in due time, rad
ally altered its mode of teaching and .
tudying law, and who lived to see the
,hOOl take first rank. Later the d. 6
Unity school was approached in the
spirit and transformed 7
ON sectarian training school for the c
ergy of the Unitarian denomination
} a school of theology where represen-
ltives of many sects both teach and 7
udy. Its standards of admission were S
Used; its degrees were made honorable,
II