Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-04-06
.DR. JAS. B. ANGEL
DEAD. HEAD
.0F UNIV. OF VERMONT
Terms of Office as President of
U. V. M. and University of
Vermont Equalled
4S Years.

University of Michigan died at his home
here Saturday. The aged educator passed
away while in a deep sleep which had
lasted for several days. His final break
down In health was attributed largely
to his attempts at answering "A large
number of conGratulatory letters and
cards received on January Z last which
was his eighty-scventh birthday.
Those present at his death were his
brother. William, of Chicago and two OF
his three chdren--Judge Alexis Angel
of Detroit and Mrs. Andrew Mclaughlin
of Chicago Professor James r. Angel
Of Chicago was not present
AS one of the foremost educators of his
time DR.. James Burrill Angel had the
incidental distinction of being the oldest
college president In point of service in tho
United States. With his combined terms
as head of the University os Vermont
and the University of MICHIGAN he had
been college president for 4S years. He
was pioneer In the great system of
state universities and co-eduoation. He
conferred degrees on nearly $500 grad
yates, 2,0O of whom We're women.
Born in Scituate, r. l., January Z, 1895
James Angel served during his early
manhood as farm hand on his fathers
estate and attended Brown University
Az ~ years he was invited to become
u professor of modern languages in the
university. Among students in his classes
were Richard Olney and John Hay.
Dr. ANGEL remained at Brown until
1850 and during this period developed
the highest qualities as both teacher and
administrator 1t was during the last few
years or his professorship at Brown that
lie began to write for The Providence
journal He wrote editorials and other
leading articles. and grew to like the worl;
so nuch that he stepped out of Brown
University into the editorship of The
Journal.
lie remained in charge of The journal
until 1866, always loyal to the govern.
ment and writing many stanch and
patriotic articles during the critical DAYS
of the Civil War
An incident occurred at this tirpo that
demonstrated his insistence ,pon "noin
unVarnished truth" His former student
'ohn Hay, upon graduation from college
had taken up study of law in Abraham
Llncoln's office in Springfield. III.
Editor ANGEL engaged IJay TO write
series Of articles on Lincoln. Consid-
cradle sentiment about Lincoln as q
'railsplitter" appeared in the manu-
script Angel on reading the copy
took his pencil and slashed it unmerci
fully. declaring that it was too highly
colored and refusing to print exageera-
ton Of sentimentality.
Give us the facts" he demanded.
without establishment"
Angel remained in charge of the Jour
loval to the government, but at the con-
clusion of the strife he accepted "A call
from the University OF Vermont to be-
come its president This, in 1856 was
two years before DIR. Charles w. Eliot
received his appointment to Harvard
At the end of his third year as presi-
dent Of the University of Vermont
Brown University conferred on him the
degree of Ii. D. Then the REGENTS of
the University of Michigan. who We're
looking for a young, energetic. and able
president to build up the university,
singled out DR., Angel. In 1871 he re-
signed from the University of Vermont
and took up the work of president OF
the University of Michigan. which was
to make him famous and earn for him
his appellation of The Grand Old Man
BUILDS Up MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
His record at the university. as told in
figures, shows that during his years OF
service there the student body vastly
increased. the annual appropriations
from S3co0 to 100000, while the faculty
grew from 80 members to 400 1t was
said that DR., Angel had under his per-
sonal direction more students than any
other college president. AS head Of the
University of Michigan, he left his per-
sonal Impress, to a greater or less eX-
tent, on more than 100000 students Dur
ing his whole career as an educator more
than l2i,W0 students, both male and
female, came under his influence
One of DR.. Angeles marked character
istics as college president was his
| ability to secure the loyalty and affec-
ton OF practically every student who
studied under him and to control the
great student body through these i'm
pulses. President BENJAMIN Harrison
| paid the University of Michigan the COM
| pliment of having the best university
, president in the world DR. John Finley
| as president of the College of the City
Of New York declared that the real cap
| ital OF Michigan was at Ann Arbor,
where the University of Michigan is
| located, and said that the real head OF
the state was the head of it's university.
In addition to his services as an educa-
, tor, Dr. Angel served the United States
with distinction as Il diplomat. In 1889
President Hayes sent him to China to
negotiate important treaties. He was
sent to secure the ratification OF treaties
| limiting the emigration of Chinese to this
country. and after two months returned
| in triumph.
| In 1887, DR.. Angel was again called to
| the service of his country, when President
Cleveland appointed him a member of the
International commission of Canadian
Fisheries With Thomas F. Bayard, then
secretary of state, and William L. Put
nam. he met the Ri. Hon. Joseph Cham
berlan, Lord Sackvile and Sir Charles
Tupper. the British plenipotentaries, and
| their work, lasting until February, 1889,
| settled for all time the exist
ing differences regarding the rights
and privileges of American fishermen in
the waters of British North America.
Again, in 1896, DR.. Angel served his coun-
try in the adjustment of relations with the
Dominion of Canada ms chairman of the
Canadian commissioner for deep water
| ways
| A year later, in 1897. he was appointed
United States minister to Turkey, from
which he resigned after a year. DR.. An
\ CELL was always a splendid raconteur, ana
his account of his reception by the sui
tan's grand vizier was always one OF his
hest stories 1t seems that tho only IAN