Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-09-25

"A of the Constitution Of Pennsylvania of
1776, and section Al of the Constitution of
North Carolina of the same year, each
read as follows: And all useful learn
ing shall be duly encouraged and pro-
NOTED in one or more universities"
However, in our first Constitution we find
that our forefathers while entertaining
the same views to the general propo-
sition of higher education, made
very substantial change. and in section
40 of the Constitution of 1777 provided for
" one university in this State"
From the adoption of the organic law
I'm 17T to 1911, our citizens were busily
engaged first in managing the State as
an independent republic and then as one
of the States of the Union, but the clause
In the Constitution which provided for
the establishment of university was
never forgotten. In the letters Of Ethan
Allen, written between 177O-1776, to St
John DeCrevecouer. later the French con-
sui at New York. references are made to
to the university which the State was to
establish. In June, 177s 1t was voted to
take the incorporated University of Dart
mouth under the patronage of our State.
The first real step toward the establish
! on October 18th, James Treadway. a
graduate Of Yale, referring directly to the
constitutional provision which provides for
"one university in this State" fSection
40 of Plan or Form of Government of
1776), petitioned the general assembly that
13 men might be appointed as trustees
to negotiate all affairs relative to the
beginning. founding and carrying on of
the university and further asking for the
sequestratiOn of a tract Of land. The rec
ords are silent as to what became Of
the petition. From this time until 1857,
the representatives Of Dartmouth COL
lege were busy with their proposals, all
of which were rejected except one which
was finally adopted by the Legislature
whereby 1900 acres of land were Sc
questered for that institution.
In 1855 Elijah Paine presented a memo
rial proposing to give 1000 pounds for a
university at Wlliamstown. The memo
rial was referred to a committee which
was directed to meet at Royalton the
second Tuesday of June, 17s6. From
October 1855 until the following June,
various newspaper articles appeared in
the Vermont Gazette, all of which showed
a remarkable interest on the part of
the people of the State in the proposed
the trip to Williamstown is evidenced by
an original receipted bill on file among
State papers. rendered by Stephen Brad
ley, one member of the commission, for
services and expenses. in connection with
an eight days trip to locate a college.
From June 1885 to October 1889 the cam
paign by those interested In establishing
a university was carried on by series
letters nd
| Vermont Gazette The proposition was
! continually opposed by those interested
in Dartmouth college, and at one time
handbills were circulated signed by J.
Wheelock president of Dartmouth COL
lege. answering two letters that had ap-
peared in the Vermont Gazette
AT the October session of the General
Assembly In 1883, Ira Allen presented his
| memorial for the location of the college
at Burlington. The matter was post
poned until the October session of 1871.
| when the proposition was renewed On
| Monday. October oath, the governor and
council Joined the members of the house
| in order to consult as to the proper place
| for erecting a college," with the results
that a committee was appointed to draft
a bill for university. The committee
| acted expeditiously since history records
consideration the next morning. at which
| time they elected ten trustees for the
| College of the State of Vermont"
| After the election of the trustees. the
question then arose as to where the in
! stitution should be located. On Tuesday,
| October 25th. 1871, at two o'clock in the
| afternoon, the governor and council
| marched to the house of assembly in
| solemn procession and there formed
grand committee to vote by ballot for
the place where the college should be
| located. Those of you who have been
permitted to attend meeting of the
joint assembly when supreme court JUS
tees are to be elected, will appreciate
| the apparent seriousness and Importance
of that meeting that was held l28 years
ago 1t was a great day at Windsor, al
that time one of the meeting places of
| the General Assembly, and the result of
! the vote indicated the deep interest in
the proposed college, since out of 1873
entitled to vote only 12 were absent. The
vote was conclusive, the majority in
favor of Burlington being g.
| 1 do not wish to bore you with a repe-
tition of the events that followed. They
| have been referred to many times. 1t is
| sufficient to say that from 1871 until 1910.
! the interest of the people never waned,
| Public lands were set aside for the uni
versity letters urging the liberal support
| of the people were published. and. finally
on January 5, 1911. Governor Galusha Is
sued a statement to the public which con-
cluded as follows: "As this university is
| now become State institution and
bearing it's name, 1t is believed that the
real friends of the State will zealously
| cooperate In an object allowedly of
primary importance to our youth and to
posterity. No exertlons will be wanting
to render 1t a seminary preeminent for
utility. ever desirous of promoting real
! literature, substantial virtue and true
godliness, in order that our sons may not
only become polished stones in the temple
of science. but also prove successful in
! struments In perpetuating the literary,
! civil and religious institutions of their
| fathers"
| From all of the foregoing we conclude
| that after years Of struggle. this insti-
tuition at last was established upon a