Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-11-01
BONDS
FOR ENDOWMENT
Middlebury College Seeking
100000 Fund-Friend Of.
fers 100000.

iege does not want any money which II
alumni ought to contribute to the supper
Of the nation. But why not make over 4
the college the Liberty bonds you ar
purchasing to sustain the nation In th
most righteous war? They will do tn
country Just as much good in our stroni
box as they will If you hold them ant
by giving them to the college you will b
doubly patriotic. I have made my owl
subscription in this way and trust man!
others will do the same"
This IL the unique suggestion In mes
sage from President John NJ. Thomas con
corning the 100000 endowment funt
toward which a friend of the college has
offered 100000. 1t is contained in booklet
Just mailed to the alumni entitled "Youi
County-Your College. Make a LiberaS
Bond serve BOTH" Subscriptions OF $19.81(
are reported toward the 100000 the col
lege must raise to get the 100000 condi.
tional gift.
DECREASE IN ATTENDANCE.
As to the present situation at Middle.
bury. DR.. Thomas says: lone hundred and
two students. members of the present
senior. Junior and sophomore classes. have
dropped out Of college. largely because Of
the war. Our freshman class numbers e5
as against 1879 last year. We have to-day
2s2 undergraduates: last year there were
372 The loss is 27.42 per cent. and the enc
Is not yet. Three men were called to the
navy last week. and three received theil
blue cards for the national army
I'VE are proud of the patriotism OF
Middlebury men. but the decrease in at.
tendance is severe blow to the college
One-third Of our income comes from stu
dents. and that third will be reduced q
per cent. this year. We have trimmed
the budget at every possible point. but
only an addition to our endowment, imme-
diate and considerable in amount, will
keep us out Of deficit and debt. The change
from a college getting ahead each year.
steadily making friends by its healthful
progress. to a college harassed by debt
and dropping painfully behind. is not
what we wish to contemplate.
"Middlebury simply must not be allowed
to fall back, after all these years OF
vigorous movement forward. 1t would be
a calamity for us as alumni of the college.
and a calamity for the State of Vermont
and the cause of higher education in New
England. Whatever it costs us in effort
and self-sacrifice, we must continue to
push ahead.
THE offer announced last commence
ment gives us the chance to avert disaster
and to continue our growth. Success will
mean an addition of $4,000 to our annual
income. which will enable US to tide over
the years OF war and when normal condi-
tions are restored to make healthful and
vigorous advance"
ENCOURAGEMENT
DR.. Thomas says he believes the college
can secure this fund and points to sew
eral announcements.
In the first place it is the largest
offer we have ever received. One hun
dred thousand dollars is worth sweating
for. Some of us worked hard to get DR..
Pearsons' $4,000. but this is four times
as much. We tried again when. the. gen,
but this stake is just double. Moreover.
the proportion is moro generous. Those
earlier conditional gifts were in proper
ton Of one to three, while this is IN the
ratio Of one to two. Every 500 we raise
means $3.50 for the college.
I'VE must also consider that Middle
bury is much stronger to-day than she
was a few years ago. We have the pres
tige of success and progress. We have
been making friends steadily every year
and are both more widely and more favor
ably known. Thanks to several generous
friends we have an attractive ana mos'
delightful college here, spacious cam
pus, a magnificent new mems dormitory
and commons. a chapel that commands
the admiration of all who visit it. NC
one can now question the permanence
of Middebury. nor the possibilities OF
great usefulness and of steady and in
creasing growth We can appeal now
not only to sentiment and loyal affection
but to the sound Judgment which inquire:
as to stability and demonstrated powers
of growth.
"Further, the American colleges have
lust now proved their value as neve
before in American history. The natiol
turned to it's college men for officer
for it's new army. The training camps
the aviation schools. the naval reserv
have been constituted from college mel
almost exclusively Equally inssten
have been the calls for men of educatio
for positions of trust in civil life. TIL
colleges have been foremost in respons
to the nations call for men of efficiency
and we can say truly that to suffe
these institutions to languish now woul
not only be ungrateful but also unpa
triotic and shortsighted President WI
son himself has led the large numbe
of eminent public men who have urge
| that in this crisis the colleges be SUI
ported and maintained at the highest ell
| cheney"
! FUTURE OF MIDDLEBURY.
AS to the progress Of Middlebury ar
its future, President Thomas says
This Is my tenth year of service I
| - Collage / net
not rehearse the progress that has BET
made in buildings and plant. in stude
attendance, in State support. in strengt
ening and improving the college In eve
wayi Middebury Is to-day dinere
college, stronger and more useful al
also more creditable to it's alumni. b
our foundation Is insecure with our pre-
ont endowment, less than third that
such institutions as Amherst, william
Wesleyan and Bowdoin. II Middlebu
is to continue on it's way toward becol
ing one OF the strong colleges OF NJ
England such as we all want IT to be.
college which is n credit to the sta
of Vermont. and graduation from whi
is a recommendation and an honor I
increase of our permanent funds Is abb
lutely essential.
There is every reason for courage a
! good hope as TO the future. We have
strong board Of trustees. harmonic
and loyal faculty, an earnest and
thusiastic body of students, we ma
no internal troubles and we enjoy
good will of the public to remarka
r degree. Our friends expect us to 81
! coed. We haven't failed yet. Sur
y you will not allow US to fail in the la
t est and most promising undertaking
( which our college has ever embarked
. CAUGHT FOX WITH HANDS.