Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1910-09-30
EZRA j. WARNE
Resolutions Passed by the Trus-
tees Of N ddlebury College.

tees Of Middlebury College.
At recent meeting of the College
corporation, the following resolutions
were passed on the death of Ezra J.
Warner of the class of 1861
Resolved: that the Trustees of Middle
bury College, desire to extend to the
widow and family of our cherished
friend and associate, the late Ezra ].
Warner, the assurance of our heart
felt sympathy with them in their great
bereavement occasioned by his recent
sudden death.
Apart from his generous gifts to the
College, to whose record his noble life
and character gave added lustre, we
feel sense of personal loss which is
irreparable. He had that rare com
bination of strength and gentleness
which wins both the respect and affect
ion of all who come within the sphere
of its influence. The loss of such COM
partnership is to us enduring.
We shall miss his genial inspiring
presence, his wise counsel, his quick
and responsive appreciation of the needs
of the College he so loved and honored
His noble life was a benediction and
his memory will be gratefully cherished
while the institution he so generously
served shall endure.
PRESIDENT THoMAs's TRIBUTE.
In his recent address to the College,
President Thomas referred to the fact
that since Commencement a member of
the Sophomore class had passed away,
suffered a severe loss in the death of
its benefactor, Mr.. Ezra J. Warner.
He said:
1t is fitting that the first words spoken
in opening our college year should be in
honor of the memory of one of our num-
Der a year ago, who scarcely two weeks
after commencement separation lost
his life while in the performance of
duty. Allen Wurtzbach was a manly
boy, eager, energetic, kind-hearted and
generous. He bore a good name in
college, as he had borne a good name
at home. None responded more quick
| ly to wholesome influence or to reason
able appeal. He developed markedly
during his year in college, and we had a
right to expect that he would come to
be one of our strong, reliable men.
Though not under necessity, he wished
to spend his vacation in useful employ
ment, and he met his death in sudden
accident while in the employ of the
electric company of which his father
was manager. He was an only son,
and trust that the sympathy that goes
| from all our hearts this morning will
bring some comfort to the stricken
father and mother, to whom this open
| ing day brings its own peculiar sorrow.
A few days ago there also passed
away very suddenly an alumnus of this
| College, 10 whom every one of you had
abundant reason to be grateful. Fifty
years ago next commencement he went
out from these halls, the valedictorian
of his class, graceful and erect in bear
ing, man goodly to look upon, court
eous to the humble and at ease with the
great, one of the finest products of our
college culture and of Vermont worth.
Ezra j. Warner was the son of trustee
of the college, who was also an officer
of the National Bank of Middlebury.
The family home was the large brick
residence just north of the Addison
House. Mr.. Warner became a success
full merchant in the city of Chicago.
His name stood for probity and integrity
among the men of influence in that city,
and the reputa ton of his firm for honor
able dealing and financial stability ex-
tend through all the central west The
growth of Middlebury College in the
last ten years has been due in no small
degree to Mr.. Warner. The Science
Hall and its equipment was entirely his
gift, for which he gave $85, 900. | said
to him las t May that | had come to
Chicago in part to express my gratitude
to him for all that his benefaction had
meant to the college, and to testify
that recent progress would have been
impossible except for the stimulus his
gift had impaired to the institution.
He replied that it had given him the
deepest satisfaction to do what he could
for his alma mater and the village of
his boyhood home, and that the thought
of the daily use of that building by our
students was one of the keenest enjoy
ments of his life.
What great thing it is to be man, if
intelligent industry and persistent will
you can achieve the honor and affection
of your fellow-men, and institute for
successive generations something that
tells for the broadening of knowledge
and the culture of power. Long may
the memory of Ezra j. Warner abide in
ourhalls! Let us hand down from one to
another the tradition of his keen dis
cernment, his fine sense of honor, his
knightly bearing, his unfailing gentle
maniness With the knowledge gained
in our laboratories may there blend the
spirit of the man who built them, to-
gether producing the refinement and
dignity of culture in all true Middle
bury men!