The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-06-14
URGENT APPEAL BY
PRESIDENT THOMAS
Presents Cause Of Middlcbury College
in Board of Trade Rooms Little
Help Now Means Much.

An urgent appeal for help in putting
Middlcbury college on strong and
permanent foundation, which can be
done by securing $4,000 more By July
to make secure large other pledges,
was made In the board of trade rooms
last evening by President John NJ.
Thomas of the college President Thon-
rs was presented by Ernest J. Water
man, an alumnus, who said he felt cer-
tain that DIR. Thomas needed no intro
duetion to a Brattlcboro audience. The
logic and foreefuness of the appeal
made deep impression on all those
present. DIR. Thomas said in part:
| ask the privilege Of special word
to my fellow citizens OF Vermont con-
corning the present situation of Middle
bury college. | have been engaged for
u year past, az ] have tried to let tho
public know, in an effort to increaso
the permanent funds of Middlebury
college. This movement was started be
fore our country entered the war, AS it
was felt even then that our resources
should be largely increased The loss
of students from the war. however ha-
changed the Immediate purpose of the
| endeavor tn that of safeguarding tn,
college in these irving times. All col
lcgcs arc feeling the burden and the
largest and strongest are putting forth
| urgent appeals for funds. -
Our own appeal is for 100000 as an
addition to our permanent trust funds.
the income only to be used each year
for current expenses. 1t is believed
! .hat this addition will enable ia to
meet tho loss of tuition from students
cnlisting, and make il unnecessary to
appeal for contributions year after
| year 10 avert deficits
| Toward this 100000 we have a con-
| di.ieual offer of 100000 The friend
who makes it is a graduate of the col
lcee, but not n Vermonter, The General
| Education hoard has made conditional
riedge of s75 900. This corporation has
its Office in New York city and there
IL not a single Nermonter on its drec-
,orate. OF thc S395,000 which has
been pledged to date 1896, 900 s sub
70 ribcd by people outside tho state, and
100000 by citizens of Vermont.
The point | wish to make-and |
would like to state it strongly-is that
we are trying to bring $500, 900 INTO
the state for the use of a Vermont in
Ntitution, and thus far we have been
able to secure pledges of only 10000
Vermont money towards it, And yet
the income of the money will be spent
in Vermont and approximately one half
our students are from Vermont and al
ways have been.
! TrpInr ithaca ~. r
justified in appealing particularly t.
our friends in Vermont for at least Q
major part of the $4,000 necessary t,
complete this fund and validate tn,
subscriptions already made!
Middlebury is Vermont college Il
was chartered by the legislature O.
Vermont in 1900 and its first trustee
were without exception citizens of Yer
mont. The support of the institution
for many years was derived almost ex
olusivcly from Vermont
Our college is certainly an asset +
{ Vermont. an educational instrument o
: value to her young people, tie to tn
>, home state for many who have left he
H borders. and one of the institution
H which increase tho good name of Vel
II ment in the world outside In recen
II years especially, Middlebury Collee
II has been the means of bringing to We
II mont contributions of large value fro,
II friends whose homes are outside th
II state.
II | would not minimize the very genel
ons and substantial gifts that ha,
II come to us from Vermonters. The poir
II ! wish to make is merely that our 60
lege, located in Vermont and natural
serving primarily the youth of We
mont, is the means Of bringing to We
II mont from time TO time gifts of gre;
y value which we may assume would IL,