Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-02-25

of President wheelock. made a grant
Of a township of land to Dartmouth and
Moor's charity school.
Encouraged by this success, the trus-
tees of Dartmouth College, the next
year, applied for the seouestration to
their use of the lands which had been
reserved, in the New Hampshire Grants
for the Propagation society and for
globes, and in the Vermont grants for
academies and a university. giving as
surance that they would on their part
take the business of education in YER
mont under their especial charge and
supervision.
This application produced considerable
discussion and tended to arouse some
of the leading men of the State to the
importance of setting about the estab-
lishment Of a college or a university.
which the State could call her own
. =
Nothing further was done by the
Legislature until 1901. This year the
subject was again called up, and it was
finally decided that a college or uniVer-
sity should be established, The next
Several places were proposed, and the
ballots being taken, the result was as
follows. Eighty-nine for Burlington,
twenty-four for Rutland, five for Mont
pelier, one for Danville, enc for Castle
ton. one for Berlin. and five for Will
Jamestown. Having fixed upon the loca-
ton and the trustees whose names we're
to be inserted In the charter. the bill
Incorporating the University Of Yer
mont was passed without opposition, and
became a law on the third of November,
1891"
Thus in the year in which Vermont
was admitted to the Union as one Of the
United States this commonwealth estab-
lished a State university that it could
call its own"
It appears that Dartmouth was not
the only influence that menaced the uni
versity lands. Zadock Thompson con-
tinues in this connection:
"A county grammar school had been
established at Middlebury in 1897, and
more than 5000 was shortly after
raised by subscription mostly in Mid
dlebury to defray the expenses OF
erecting a suitable building for Its
accommodation. In 1898, while the build.
ing was in progress of erection, DR.
Dwight happened to be at Middlebury
and as little had then been done towart
carrying into effect the act establishing
aged the people of Middlebury to prose
cute the plan of establishing a college
Mt that place. They accordingly applied
to the Legislature for "A college charter
with the hope. on the part of some, tina
they might also obtain the lands which
had already been granted to the univer
sity. They succeeded in obtaining al
act of Incorporation dated November I
1900. with the title of the President an,
Fellows of Middlebury College, but al
endowment by the State was refused.
1t follows that Vermont through tn
General Assembly set apart lands for
university, that it established such al
institution after refusing to allow thos
lands to go to either or t
Middlebury; that the legislators vote
for different towns as the location o
this State university, with n majorit
in favor of Burlington; that the Legis
lature from that time to this has electe
all or a majority of the trustees a
different periods, holding as ii does to
day the control of the institution by
majority of the trustees, the Governo
Of Vermont being an eX-officio truste
under state law, and that, as shown b
Mr.. Austin, Secretary of State Bale
and others. it has been recognized b
judicial authorities as well as in legis
lative acts as one Of the State institl
tons.
To establish the University Of We
mont as an historical verify as a stat
institution is not to a~ntagonize Mtddl'
bury, or Norwich, or the State norm;
schools, or the common schools. 1t
simply to give the institution its prop'
place as a State university, recognize
as such at the very outset, and to en-
phasize the fact that the people of We
mont to-day can control It's affairs a
solutely In any way they see fit Just {
surely as they can do what they W!
with the State normal schools or u
agricultural high schools.
When We say this We recognize II
fact thnt a private institution has son
advantages over a state institution, ju
as Il state university can do great
work for "A commonwealth than a pr
vately controlled college. but facts a
facts and we must face the situation
it Is to-day.