Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-10-20

IF the Middlebury Register should
take a similar attitude in behalf OF
Middlcbury College. the public would
understand 1t in the same sympathetic
appreciation Of home interests.
But, when all this is said, the fact
remains that the great body of Yer
| monters that have ever given any serl-
| Gus thought to the subject at ALL re-
gret that circumstances in the early
days OF the commonwealth should have
so interviewed to separate men OF good
| intentions from each other as to lead
TO the foundation Of three nobly plan
ned colleges when one college, backed
UP by the combined ambition and en-
ergy and money and hope of the whole
state of Vermont, could have achieved
a more influential status and accomp-
lished more practical benefits, at home
and abroad
vermont is n very little state ter
fitorialiy, and sparsely populated at
| that Under the most favorable con-
ditions--conditions that might mean
abundant prosperity for all deserving
oi'iZens within its bordcrs-there are
certain we'll defined physical Iimita-
tions to the population that shall ever
inhabit this region or that is ever
likely to send to it's academic institu-
tions for culture that cannot be OBJ
tanned elsewhere. Business men. en-
gagged in the matter Of fact material
lstic game of getting back dollar for
dollar with a few cents in interest on
every dollar going each way, would
not hesitate to say that q combina-
tion of interests corresponding in "a
business sense 20 the same relative
proportion as these three colleges.
could do better under one management
and with one plant and one treasury,
than any of the three could ever ex-
poet to do alone. Why should not the
same business sense that combines and
concentrates energies and capital In
III" production of material things use
ful and necessary to civilization he
the objective Of men that seek to pro-
mote the intellectual culture that shall
best apply and best enjoy all these
products of civilization and make the
boundaries OF civilization wider yet?
THE Messenger has nothing but the
highest praise for the work being
done by all three COLLEGES. 1t is proud
Of them all as Vermont Institutions
It docs not mean to be understood as
criticislng things as they are. 1t
means to be understood as oftentimes
regretful that all three great powers
for the uplift of succeeding genera
tons of Vcrmontcrs could not have
found a common roof in the FIRST in
stance and had the undivided support
of a little state for all time after.
perhaps there may be something in
President Buckhan's idea of a state
university that shall comprehend these
three institutions. after all The Mes
scnger cannot agree with the News
that he Is dreamer He has thought
a great many problems in the educa-
tional world before now. and 1t might
surprise the contemporary to know
how many people in this little COM
monwealth of ours would be quite sat
isfled to see the dream of the vener-
able president of the University of
Vermont come true. If we could once
get over the natural and altogether
commendahlc alma mater sentiment
that makes partisans Of college men
and could succeed in persuading the
lions that so long as their cause was
mutual their Organization should be,
perhaps some spirit Of accommodation
could be attained in the fruits OF
which not one of these ancient insti-
tutions would lose credit for its own
abundant good works and distinguish
with the others In a State policy that
, | would tend to unite n popular support.
none too great for all that, now di-
vided, IS not enough for each"
The idea Of some of the critics OF a
, , central university proposition appar-
entity Is that n university must per-
force have all its buildings in ore par
ticular spot and conduct them for the
benefit Of one particular community,
= Cornell University, which Is one OF the
most progressive and successful OF tho
I try, conducts its medical college In
New York city. though Its main