Milford chronicle., 1914-02-20
NEW PRESIDENT OF
DELAWARE COLLEGE


The Every Evening on February 2nC
printed the following article regarding
the selection of president Of Delaware
College. 1t is self explanatory.
Editor Every Evening NV excuse foI
writing upon the subject just now es-
peeially interesting all friends of Della
ware College is that the detachment pos
sible to one at this distance and without
/ aught remotely personal at stake may
enable me to see some aspects of the
question as they do not present them
! selves to those close at hand.
/ DR.. Harter' s successor, it seems to me.
should be man sufficiently young and
I vigorous 20 give the college 20 years of
/ service; if he shall prove worthy to hold
so long. He should be of modern uni
versity training, man of scholarly at
/ tainments rather than one Of purely
I technical education: an effective public
/ speaker and OF demonstrated executive
capacity. The college is already an
excellent technical and agricultural
/ school, and it should steadily be made a
I better one. The Experiment Station has
/ understand, an active and capable head
| liked ana respected by the farmers. and
our interests on that side are thus safe
guarded. What the college has long
/ failed to do is to present in richness and
variety such courses as young men eX-
pecting to enter professional life still
demand as prepara tion for admission to
the great professional schools. We at
tract to Delaware College young men
seeking technical education, and send
them out fit to compete for important
places with graduates of other technical
institutions, but we attract only a few
of our Delaware youths who seek a
different sort of educations, The time
has come when Delaware College, while
improving its technical and agricultural
courses, should make the direct appeal
to those who would have what are some
times called cultural opportunities.
If we are to do this the new head, like
him whom he is to succeed. should be
man trained in such learning, and strong
ly sympathetic with that side of educa-
ton.
Again. ve must not forget that the
new president of Delaware College is to
bear an extremely delicate relation to
the College for Women. As understand,
he is to be president of both Institutions.
but he is expected to leave the dean of
that institution a large sphere of personal
authority, as he must grant personal
freedom TO his facu ty. Only a man of
tact and force can sustain such relations
with firmness and delicacy.
1t is of the highest Importance also
that the Board of Trustees, while retain
ing the power that necessarily goes with
its responsibilities, should leave in the
hands of the president for more authority
than it has hitherto been accustomed to
concede. He should be free from the
fear of petty criticism by individual
trustees, and from trammeling interfer-
ence by the board or its committees. A
president who knows that he has no
real power will be slow to take respOn-
sibility or to display initiative.
A mistake now may mean years of
friction and arrested growth At such
a time as this there are always persons
ready to press the claims of their ineligi-
bic friends or relatives. Marrow local
pride also is apt to have undue weight
in the matter of such appointments. 1t
is true that a man from the region border
ing Mason and DiXon's Line is likely to
have temperamental sympathy with the
students and alumni of Delaware College
and the people of Delaware, but on the
other hand, there might be an advantage
in going North, South or Westin search
for the new president. There surely
should be a full expression of alumni
opinion upon this matter, an expression
to be respectfully considered by the
board. E N. Vallandigham.
Chestnut, Hill, Mass, January 81, 1914.