Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-05-15
Head of University of Vermont
Desires to Continue as Educa-
tiOnal Director of Army of
Occupation
is NOW AT COBLENZ
More Thnn 5000 soldiers Being Trained
under His Supcrvision--IIis ResiGna-
ton. Which In without Condition, -
Effective July

! ~ '"9i''S Oh tne | University OF NeT-
mont. has received a letter from Or.
Guy Potter Benton. now educational
director for the American Army Of
= Occupation in Germany. resignng the
Office of president Of the university.
/ which he has held since 1911. such resig-
nation to take effect July /, 1919 Presi-
dent Benton's duties abroad will prevent
ms return to this city for the annual
! commencement exercises.
! Owing to the vast dimensions which
the educational work of the Y. NJ. c. A.
with the American Expedltonary Forces
has assumed, and the national impor-
lance of that work. ii was decided by
/ the military authorities TO transfer the
! control of the army educational commits
sion from the Y. NJ. G. A. to the army
I Itself in order that system of general
education may become in the future, an
integral and permanent part of the or
gani2ation Of the American army. ON
| April IL this transfer was made and
President Benton is now in the service
Of the United States army
About the first of March. E. c. Carter.
! chief secretary Of the Y. NJ. G. A. WITH
! the American Expeditionary Forces.
! cabled the following message from Paris
TO New York: DIR. Benton rendering in
NdIuoDi' StTNiCC us euuCitlO1dl director,
third army. in Germany. Impossible for
us to spare him to return in April. De-
sire you sound University % Vermont
| authorities to see whether they would
prefer to extend his leave until July,
! or to have MIN send in his resignation.
| There are already 1900 soldiers enlisted
| in educational work in third army. This
| number is increasing with leaps and
| bounds. If Vermont university under
stands magnitude Benton's services, be-
lieve they will approve his remaining
until July"
| On March a. DR. j.. r. Spauldng of
! the Army Educational Commission
wrote the trustees as follows: "Presi-
dent Benton is filling one of the most
important positions in the educational
work for the A. f.. f., and filling that
position admirably. Both the military
authorities and the Army Educa tional
Commission have felt that it would be
almost disastrous for the educational
program in the Army of Occupation il
DR.. Benton were to leave at this time :
hence, through our combined represen-
tations and influence, we have been
able to persuade DIR. Benton to agree
to remain until about May l. instead
of leaving for America April l. as he
had expected to do
DT. benton mas general charge or
all educational work with the Army
of Occupation. His headquarters are
at Coblenz. If you could know the i'm
portance of the work in which he is
ngaged, and the admirable way in which
he Is handling 1t, ! am sure you would
be more than willing to acuuiesce in
his decision to remain here until May
first
AS Dr. Benton's leave Of absence ex-
tended until December. Mr.. Carter was
notified that a longer stay than that at
first contemplated was possible On
March II. DR.. Spaulding wrote Presi-
dent Benton; Il was delighted with my
visit with you and much impressed by
the excellent work that you are Sc
curing. ! am convinced that much more
is due to the energy. enthusiasm and
good judgment Of one man than is
usually the case. That one man is Dr.
Benton"
a little later Doctor Spaulding. writing
20 President Benton concerning Il pro-
posed visit to Coblenz. said: please he
prepared at that time for strong efforts
20 persuade you TO extend your time of
service beyond May l."
On March IS, Brighten. Il. |. Rees of
the general staff corps. in charge of the
educational work of the army. wrote
IIeSiueHi beHlOn explaining the trans
fer of the work of instruction from the
Y. NJ. e. A. to the army, in which he
said: you are invited and ii is hoped
you will accept service with army" Hav-
ing decided that it was his duty to ac-
cept, President Benton notified General
Rees to that effect, aud received the fol-
lowing reply:
Your letter of April Il, has just been
received and | hasten to assure you of
my qualification in your decision to re-
main member of the educational corps
on duty with the third army.
II have felt that no educational work
in the \. T.. +. is more important than
: that which is under your supervision
and that there could be no greater loss
20 education here than your separation
from the work
5 The third army is the one permanent
force in The \. f.. +. in which consistent,
high grade work in education can be
; done and no one is better fitted to con-
iroi it's education policies than your
self"
} The text of President Benton's resisna-
non viii not be given out until it has been
presented to the board OF trustees. Presi-
dent Benton has been in Europe con-
siderable part of the time for nearly two
years Ills first leave OF absence was
completed last September and he returned
20 ms work here but in response to the
appeals of DR.. John K. Mott and h. &,
carter of the National War Work Council
OF the International V Nj, G. A., another
years leave of absence MAS voted to him
ON October /. dating from December !.
After the signing of the armistice, Presi-
dent Benton felt that he might not be
needed for further war WORK but he was
summoned by telegraph Oh December IA
and was obliged to make a hurried de-
+ hrture. lie then expected to be able L"
complete his duties within three months
40 that he might return to burlington by
The middle of April Al that time he had
no expectation of being assigned for edu-
= cational service with the army of occupa-
, ton in Germany. This work developed so
rapidly and became important that
continuity Of administration was demand
ed ana he agreed to remain through the
e month of April! Then came the transfer
? or all educational work from the y NJ e.
a. to the army and with increasing GU
J lies and responsibilities it did not seem
possible to abandon this task, with Gen
eral Eees and DR.. Spaulding strongly urs-
: ing him to remain.
President Benton's jurisdiction as euu
. cational director for the Army OF oecu'
patton extends from the city ana duchy
OF Luxembourg to the most adNalceu
, allied lines beyond the Rhine III Ger
many. OF the 10000 men III inc a''".'
2i,Uo are at present enrolled III lhe VAR
Gus post and divisional SCHOOLS ~.