Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-08-06

scope ana possibilities OF the small cnI-
lcEc that has been made by anyone. In
the ADDRESS itself Dr. Thomas has shown
the sort of work that this college has
FOR more than a century done. DR.
Thomas is in no small sense Mddleburv
College incaruate.
DR. Thomas is a son of his alma mater
How could he write of her as he docs
we're hc not? HIS father was an alum
nus - 1861. who was also for many
years one Of the corporate body gov
ernng the affairs of the institution.
Forty-scvcn years after his graduation
his son assumes the guidance of The
future of the college. He has taken
chair which great men have nllc,r
l.abaree and Kitchel and Hamln He
follows Immediately one whose life from
his first freshman day has hardly known
separation from the college. For three
years. indeed. he was in Andover taking
his theological course. Then back to tn.
college as instructor. professor prcsi-
dent Ezra Braincrd has given 10 years
and mere OF splendid service through
years Of discouragemcnt and WEAKNESS.
We know we'll the mental fiber Of Presi-
dent Brainerd but did not know that
Of President Thomas until this inaugu-
raj displayed the clear-sighted. practical
Drained executive.
Middlebdry College has had a great
history. In very small state. with an
other college only 20 miles away, it has
held its course for more than a century,
taking boys off Green Mountain farms
to equip them hN poverty with power
to press into lIfes foremost places
Bishop Whitaker of Philadelphia IS a
son of Middlebury. Senator Fuote, who
was one of Nermont's greatest men in
the days Of tn" civil War was a Mid
dlebury man John ". Stewart. United
states senator from Vermont to-day, is
Middlebury man. Judge Tuthin of
Chicago; AldaCe +. Walker, 50 long al
most the first of the railway lawyers of
the United states; A. Barton Hepburn,
comptroller of the currency Of the
United States, distinguished hnancicr.
leading member Of the New York Cham
Der Of Commerce.: Secretary Barton of
the American board of commissioners
for foreign missions George Nye Board
man, long the chief glory of the Chicago
Congregational Theological Seminary.
and Cyrus Merrill, one OF the country's
most distinguished oculists. were and
are Middlebury men. As a college It has
been worth while.
The Civil War dccmated it. Its men
went to the war and many Of them died
there. The college struggled through ~
years from 1858, against odds which
would have dismayed ordinary men. But
it has lived, 1T has stood on and for
the foundation Of the past With the
smallest endowment of any New Eng
land college II has done more work IN
proportion to its means than any of its
New England sisters. The centennial
celebration In 1890 marked the beginning
of better days
These words are con amore. Why not?
| They are pcnned by a grateful SON The
habits of thought that are ours. such as
they are, were formed under the influ.
ences that center on that little hin
west of the peaceful Vermont village
our morning look for -four years was
toward the great Green Mountains. At
night We saw the sun 20 down bchini
the peaks Of the mighty ACKNOWLEDGES
| The GOODNESS, the steadncss, the calm
Of those age-od crests passed into the
soul of many many from the days of
silas Wright even until now.
! It cost less than $3.50 a year 30 years
ago to take four years at Middobury
College. Your great university man
| spends more than the total cost of the
course then in single term now The
| proportion OF cost is still low. II is the
| poor boys college. thank God. But it
needs endowment: not to make poor
| boys rich, but to enable 1t to give the
boys of to-day advantages equal to the
best of to-day. DR.. II. *, Pearsons of
| Chicago has offered $4,000 II $4,000 more
can be raised President Thomas calls
| on his alumni for response. Twenty
| two thousand dollars OF the sum have
been promised, The Westminster adds
| its voice to that of President Thomas
Here is the opportunity for the friends
of the small college to do a friendly
| thing Who will respond first?
The Westminster, Philadelphia Aug. /