The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1922-12-22

this INSTITUTION. Alllu CilS .'iii
ties which enveloped the school at
the outset he was prevailed upon
to accept the presidency. He kept
the wolf from the door. Year at
ter wear he furnished the means
to meet the deficits. He employed
teachers. He cared for it as for
one of his own children.
The school building was sold for
liens upon it and he bought 1t in.
And then he took a step which was
of great Importance in the history
of the school. He was convinced
that the religious denomination
which had control did not afford a
broad enough basis for the school
and he conveyed the building TO
the trustees upon the condition
that it should be free from sectar-
ian control and that a fund of S2b,-
600 should be secured. Both Of
these conditions were complied
with: the first one secured the con-
tiuance of the school as a Chris
tan institution, but upon non-sec-
tartan lines, and the second gave it
a fund which at that time, if it
did not supply all the needs of the
school, made its continuance a
practical certainty.
A generous and constant friend
Of that period was Dudley P. Hall
whose name you do well today to
commemorate in bronze.
Mr.. Thompson remained as Pre-
sident of the school about twenty
years and until the end of his life.
And then a great gap came in its
affairs. But it happened that an
other man had come to Lyndon,
attracted by the beauties of the
place and he took up the work.
Mr.. Theodore N. Vail, who by a
short interval succeeded Mr..
Thompson, has more than any
other man been identified with the
business development of the tele-
phone, and his name is known the
world over. Mountains and seas
and vast stretches of plain are nc
longer barriers over which the
human voice may not pass. And
next to the inventor himself no
name shines more brightly in the
history of this wonder working in
strument than that of Mr.. Vail.
Mr. Wallis interest in the school
steadily increased so that he took
upon himself many of the details
of its management, employed
teachers, paid off large deficits,
constructed buildings, took a per-
sonal pride in it, and became iden-
tined with it in the whole range
of his life. He used at the ami
versary times to deliver addresses
to the students remarkable for
their practical wisdom and he
brought here some of the greatest
educators in the country; men like
President Lowell of Harvard and
Butler of Columbia University.
Mr.. Vail was assisted in his work
Irving w. Powers. who had been
closely connected with him in bust
ness.
MI. Powers was a young man of
remarkable promise and of fine ac-
movement for his years. He was
ideally fitted for the work, but I'M
fortunately his life was brief. To
use the words of Shakespeare, "He
should have died hereafter"
Then came Mr.. Elmer A. Darl-
ihg' and most fortunately for the
institution because another crisis in
IT'S history was drawing near, and
there was a call for another unique
man. As reward for rare bust
ness talent he had achieved a sue
cess which has been attained by
comparatively few other men. He
was the President of the institu
tlon when on that winter night a
year ago the building which was
the seat Of the school and was 20
necessary to its work was wholly
destroyed by fire. That deplorable
misfortune served only as a chal-
lenge. While the flames were still
burning Mr. Darling called togeth-
CT his board of trustees. At that
very moment he began the work
of rebuilding, and the result of
that work is that you are dedicat-
ing today upon this hilltop this
beautiful structure which would do
high credit to any institution in
New England, and is an honor to
every man and woman who has
lent hand in rearing il. He had
many loyal workers with him and