Newark post., 1919-07-16
RST HISTORY OF
DELAWARE COLLEGE
TO BE PUBLISHED
Will Be Feature of tiftieth
Anniversary Celebrated
in 1920

Delaware College will shortly
issue historical sketch of the in
stitution from its resuscitatlon IN
1870, to 1920, written by Edward
N. Vallindigham 0S73). The fol-
lowing extract from the preface
will give some notion of the pur-
pose and scope of this sketch:
'eThis brief historical sketch OF
Delaware College since its resus-
citation fifty years ago the author
has written as a labor of love, and
with a pleasure to himself quite
out of proportion to that which
he can hope the work may give to
even it's most friendly readers. He
has tried to avoid the dead and
dry detail apt to characterize local
history, though he does not t1atter
himself he has achieved a narra-
tive either brilliant or absorbing.
As far as he rightly could also ne
has Stunned whatever the most
sensitive might regard as partl-
san tone in narrative or comment
touching matters that have troub-
led the peace Of any long period
in the history of almost every
school throughout the land. Such
things, however, could not be left
out, nor could they be treated IN
solely colorless fashion, lest this
modest chronicle take on an air OF
futility if not of stupidity. Ac-
cordingly, these matters find their
rightful place in the story, and
possibly their due proportion, and
the author can only hope that he
has refrained from aught that may
set bubbling anew the tempestuous
teapots of the past"
Four chapters and considerable
appendix make up the sketch,
which will have about 10000
words, and in bulk an appearance
will resemble a somewhat enlarg-
ed annual catalogue. Chapter l,
"Reawakening," sketches the his
tory up to about the retirement of
President Purnell in 1885, though,
as the treatment is not solely
chronological, but partly also
topical. some incidents of later
date appear here. In this chapter
the author so far forgets the dig
nifty of the historian as to give
considerable space to college
pranks. Chapter II, "Struggle," "
carries on the story through the
admi. stions of DR.. Caldwell
and DR.. Raub. In this chapter is
recorded the brief history of CO.
education at Delaware College,
and here, too, appears a sympa-
thetic sketch of the Women's Col
Iege of Delaware. Chapter Ill,
"Modernization," is mainly con-
cerned with the long administra-
tion of DR.. Harter. Here is sketch,
ed the history of the Delaware Col
Iege Agricultural Experiment Sta
tion, and here, too, is chroniclec
the rise and development OF syste
matte athletics. In Chapter "
Expansion" appears the story OF
growth mainly during the admins
tration of President Mitchell
Here also are treated military
training and the relation of Della
ware College to the War witt
Spain, and the World War. DIR
Mitchell contributes to this chap
ter his hopes for the future Of
Delaware College. The Appendi'
contains a rapid sketch of the Col
lege from it's founding in 1888 tt
its suspension in the spring O.
1859, letters from alumni giving
their "reminiscences, grave ant
gay, of undergraduate life, facts
figures and various details to sup
plement the general narrative ant
"necrology" which includes brie
biographical notes of those VIII
perished in the World War, to
gether with more extended sketch
es of distinguished alumni nov
dead.
The author has taken the oppor
tunity from time to time to Civ
his own opinions upon educationa
matters in relation to DelaWar
College, and has let his persona
enthusiasm for her history an
tradition give warmth and as h
hopes, life and color to the tale h
has to tell.