Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-07
CONGREGATIONAL RULE ENDS
Changed Majority is Now in Control
at Yale.
CENTURIES UNDER ONE CHURCH
For Two Hundred ana Ten Years
COngregatiOal Ministers Have
Formed ? Majority of
the Corporation.

NEW HAVEN, March 6.--When the Yale
corporation holds its March meeting this
week the congregational ministers will
be without the majority they have main
talned since the college was founded by
ten congregational ministers 2l0 years
ago.
The first break in the congregational
rule at Yale came about ten years ago
when President Hadley was elected to sue
ceed President Dwight as head Of the in
stitution. UP to that time none but con-
gregstlonal ministers had ever held the
Office Of president. The government OF the
college had been invested in the ten Con-
necticut congregational clergymen who
were the so-oalled successors OF the original
ten trustees and who held life places on
the corporation.
This change IN the character OF presi-
dent was soon followed by the selection Of
q New York clergyman to take the place
Of deceased Connecticut minister who
had been q member Of the corporation.
Than few years later a iayman, Payson
Merrill. 65 Of New York for the first
rime in the history Of the university was
chosen to a life place on the corporation
to succeed q congregational clergyman.
Up TO the present time the olergymen
were In control, FOR the working members
Of the corporation numbered sixteen
members, not counting President HGdlsy,
and nine of these were stlll ministers Of
the Congregational church. Tho governor
and lieutenant-Rovernor Of the state for
the last hundred years have been members
ex-officio Of the corporation, but they have
not generally been included in the work
ing force of the body.
Editor Breaks Rule.
BY the recent election OF Charles Hop
kins Clark, II. editor Of the Hartford
Courant as a life member OF the corpora
ton to succeed the Rev, William Rogers
Richards of New York, the rule Of the
Congregational church was broken and
the olergymen have become minority
members OF the body.
Since the academic department Of the
university began to graduate more Epis-
copaliAns than oohgregationalists or Pre-
byterians the idea that Yale should still
cling to Its old custom Of having major
ity rule OF congregationalists has been
calling forth criticism from alumni and
others. Since 1872 the Yale alumni have
been represented on the corporation by
six members, This was accomplished by
charter amendment.
When this change was made it was
generally contended by the alumni that
with half a dozen representatives on the
corporation great changes in policy might
be expected. But for the last thirty-five
years the alumni members have been
elected only for short terms ana have had
little say In the management Of Yale af-
fairs, according to general alumnlAopinion.
+ From the founding Of the college down
to 1893 the ten Connecticut ministers and
the president were the governing board
Of the corporation. In that year the
governor and lisutenant-gOvernor of the
state and six senior assistants In the
governors council became ex-officio
members Of the board. This continued
until about 1861, when a movement was
started by the alumni to dIsplace the six
senators by six alumni and this was ac-
complished five years later.
The new member OF the corporation
who breaks the congregational control of
the Yale corporation is a native Of Hart
ford and has been one OF the leaders among
the Yale alumni in New England for a
number OF years.