THE POLICY OF THE COLLEGE, ITS PROGRESS, AND ENLARGEMENT UNDER
PRESIDENT LORD'S ADMINISTRATION, FROM 1828 TO 1863.
President Lord's official course was marked by a judicious
conservatism.
In nothing was this more conspicuous than in his treatment of the
matter of "college honors." Near the close of his administration, the
occasion requiring, he published a statement, in which we find the
following language:
"It will be recollected that about a quarter of a century ago there
arose a simultaneous questioning among the students at most of the New
England colleges, in regard to college appointments in general. It was
a spontaneous movement of the young men, consequent upon an unusual
religious awakening among them, and seemed a common reaction of
conscience against a common injurious custom. The students of this
college were excited more than others. At least, they were more
demonstrative. By memorial, they unanimously requested the Trustees to
abolish the existing system.
"The Trustees gave great attention to the request. Having ascertained
that the Faculty would readily try the experiment of a change,
although but two of them were convinced of its utility, they set aside
the existing system of exhibitions, prizes, assignments, etc., and
ordained the present system, which fully and consistently excludes the
principle of the old. This action of the Trustees was thorough,
consistent, and decisive, and was far in advance of what had taken
place in any other institution. It gave great content to the students.
It was followed by many tokens of public approbation. The Faculty at
once found their administration relieved, simplified, and greatly
facilitated in general. The college rapidly attained to a degree of
patronage and prosperity unprecedented in its history.
"After a few years, a severe outside pressure produced a degree of
anxiety in regard to the prudence, if not the principle, of the
change. Some distinguished alumni of the college, and other gentlemen,
remonstrated against it as an innovation not soundly moral and
conservative, but radical and disorganizing. They feared that the
college would lose its tone and dignity among learned institutions.
The Trustees, though not convinced, were stirred, and again asked the
judgment of the Faculty.
"The Faculty replied, that, although they had not, as a body,
recommended the adoption of the new system, they had given it, as duty
required, a fair experiment, and were constrained to say, that it had
turned out better than their expectations. Notwithstanding some
inconvenience, it had obviated serious evils, had secured
unquestionable benefits, and had given a decided impulse to the
college. They were not prepared to advise its discontinuance.
Whereupon the Trustees resolved to adhere.
"Yet, after another short term of years, changes having occurred both
in the Trustees and Faculty, and the outside pressure still
continuing, the subject again came under the discussion of the Board.
In that instance it was formally proposed by a majority of the
Faculty. Some new members had been added to that body, who had had no
experience, as college officers, of the old system. Others had left
it, and some had seen reasons to change their opinions. A large
majority requested that the old _regime_, or something analogous to
it, should be restored.
"The minority confidently protested. They had had experience on both
sides, and were satisfied that the new system had greatly the
advantage of the old, both in respect to principle and practical
results.
"The Trustees gave the subject their attentive consideration,
canvassed conflicting reasons, and still adhered. They enjoined it
upon the Faculty to abide by the new system, and to keep its principle
inviolate in the college discipline.
"Since that time the question has been at rest. Whatever differences
of opinion may have existed in the Board or in the Faculty, they have
not interfered with the regular and faithful administration of affairs
upon the prescribed basis. The college has not suffered. It has not
ceased to flourish, in respect to sound instruction, easy and
effective discipline, a righteous order, thorough scholarship, a
liberal patronage, and an honorable position. It is believed to be not
behind any of its sister colleges in the proper characteristics of a
learned institution, even though measured not by its best, but its
average scholarship, as determined by lot, in the exercises of the
Commencement. Its order has become so well settled and understood in
this respect, that any reversal of it, principle apart, might be
attended with inconveniences and hazards more than sufficient to
counterbalance any supposed possible or probable advantages.
"But it is eminently due to the learned Memorialists [Alumni], and to
other friends and patrons of the college, to explain more fully the
theory on which the Trustees have acted, and which applies equally to
the questions now in hand. Wherefore your Committee go on to observe,
as first principles:
"1. That a college is a public institution, designed and incorporated
to qualify young men for leaders of the Church and the State.
"2. That the requisite qualifications for such leadership are
knowledge, wisdom, and virtue. Accidental accomplishments are
important in giving prominence and effect to more substantial
qualities; but these are fundamental and indispensable. Without them
the public interests, so far as connected with college, have no
security.
"3. That these qualifications are valueless in separation from each
other; and are then likely to be injurious in proportion to the degree
of culture. Knowledge without wisdom is insane and mischievous; and
both without virtue serve but to give greater energy and efficiency to
those naturally destructive elements which are common both to
individuals and society. Virtue alone, if it could be supposed to
exist without knowledge and wisdom, would be but an idea, or an
emotion, and practically futile.
"4. That the organization and discipline of a college constitute what
we denominate its order; and the highest responsibility rests on its
appointed guardians, to perfect and preserve this necessary order
agreeably to the highest standards that are known among men.
"5. That the ultimate standard, binding on all Christian educators, is
the Scripture; and their ultimate responsibility is to God. Great
latitude is given them by the State; and they are not held accountable
to the civil authorities, in the widest exercise of their discretion,
while they infringe not upon the civil statutes. The State leaves them
to their own opinions and policy, within the terms of their chartered
privileges and the laws in general. The Church has no control over
them whatever but in respect to patronage, when they are constituted
as mere civil corporations; and it may not interfere with them but as
individual men; nor then, if they happen to sustain no individual and
personal relations to it. But the State and the Church are equally
ordained of God; and all educators are responsible to Him that the
comprehensive order of their institutions shall be in agreement with
the principles of His Word, and thereby subservient to the public
good.
"6. That the order of a college is, first, mechanical, in respect to
its forms, arrangements, and observances; and, secondly, moral, in
respect to principle.
"7. That college mechanism in general should have respect to the most
perfect development of the powers of students, and be carried on with
great exactness and fidelity; that any want of symmetry, proportion,
finish, balance, and executive ability, or frequent experimenting and
change to meet internal difficulties, or the humors and caprices of
society, must tend to failure and dishonor. But that no mechanism,
however organically perfect or judiciously administered, that does not
embody a righteous moral principle, or that cannot be operated in
consistency with it, can be otherwise than injurious in its ultimate
results.
"Whereupon your Committee propose, that a system of scholarships and
prizes, as such systems have usually obtained, cannot be introduced
into college mechanism, or be carried on, consistently with righteous
principle, and favorably to virtue in young men, or to true knowledge
and wisdom, so far as these presuppose virtue, and depend upon it."
In regard to the views here set forth, it is proper to remark, that
reasoning which had much force, a score of years since, would possibly
have less at the present time.
In regard to this period the librarian says:
"In 1830, the three libraries must have numbered in volumes between
12,000 and 13,000, with slight difference in numbers, the college
library being the largest, and the United Fraternity's the smallest.
The first library catalogue of the latter society was printed previous
to 1840, and contained the titles of 4,900 volumes.
"In 1840, the libraries obtained better accommodations by the erection
of Reed Hall, which was so far completed that the books were shelved
just before the Commencement. They were given the second floor of the
building, an amount of space which then seemed to give ample room for
additions, as the three libraries together numbered only 15,000
volumes. The college library occupied the east half of the floor,
while the west side was divided between the two society libraries. The
books were first shelved against the wall, then alcoves and cases were
added as long as space remained, while for several years previous to
the present time the least valuable books have been removed to make
space for additions.
"In the college library, borrowers have generally been excluded from
the rooms in which books are kept, while the reverse has been true in
the society libraries.
"In June, 1841, the professors of the college with the assistance of
some of the gentlemen of the vicinity formed a society since known as
the 'Northern Academy.' This society, which was afterwards chartered
and has been continued in different forms until the present time,
early began the formation of a library. While many old books have been
collected, its principal value lies in pamphlets and files of
newspapers, some of which covering a number of years extend back
beyond the Revolution. This collection, now swelled to several
thousand, has always been in connection with the college library,
although for several years a want of shelf room and a greater want of
funds to place it in usable condition, have made it of little
practical value. In 1850, the three libraries having changed little
comparatively, numbered 19,000 volumes. The 'Northern Academy,'
exclusive of the unbound, had over 1,000 volumes, thus making fully
20,000 volumes accessible. A distinction must be made between the
figures given under the different dates (which indicate the number
that were actually in the libraries), and the number according to
catalogues. The latter were made by adding to former lists the books
received during different years, when in fact the additions during
some of these years did not more than make good the losses. It
frequently happened that ten percent of the catalogued number could
not be accounted for. While the society libraries have continued with
nearly the same annual additions--an average actual yearly increase of
over a hundred volumes,--the great growth of the college library has
taken place since 1850. Since that year have been received the
donations of books for the different departments of instruction and
the funds upon which the constant growth of the library depends. Of
these funds the first had its origin in 1846, when Edmund Parker of
Nashua, Isaac Parker of Boston, and Joel Parker of Keene, gave $1,000.
This was subsequently increased by the latter to $7,000, and in his
will (which founded the Law School), provisions were made, that will,
when available, place this fund at $20,000. In 1852, Dr. George C.
Shattuck, whose name is associated with the Observatory, gave $1,000
for the department of Mathematics as applied to Mechanics and
Astronomy. To this during the same year he added $200 for Natural
Philosophy and Astronomy, and $800 for the Latin language and
Literature. At the same time Dr. Roswell Shurtleff, Emeritus
Professor, gave $1,000 for better providing with books the departments
of Intellectual and Moral Philosophy and Political Economy. These
three donations were intended principally for the use of instructors,
and were accompanied with restrictions from general circulation. In
1859, by the will of Dr. Henry Bond of Philadelphia, several hundred
volumes were received, and provisions were made for a library fund
which when available will be about $11,000. The late Hon. Samuel
Appleton established in 1845, a fund which was increased in 1854, and
is known as the Appleton Fund. The income of this has been partially
applied to the purchase of books relating to Natural Philosophy."
"The Press" in Hanover is worthy of notice in this connection. We
quote from a published address by Professor Sanborn:
"No man lives in Hanover to-day, who can tell when any newspaper was
first printed in the town, or when it ceased to be printed. Even the
papers themselves have perished. Here and there, a stray number, or
possibly a bound volume, may be found among the useless lumber of an
attic. There was a press in Hanover, before the close of the last
century. It is reported that a newspaper was published there prior to
the year 1799. I have been unable to find a copy of it. In 1799, Mr.
Webster delivered a Fourth-of-July oration before the citizens of
Hanover, which was published in that town. A eulogy, by the same
orator, on a deceased classmate, was also published the next year.
Moses Davis, a citizen of the place, began the publication of the
'Dartmouth Gazette,' August 27, 1799. How long he continued to edit
and publish the paper, I cannot certainly ascertain. A paper bearing
that name was published for at least twenty years. I have a number of
the 'Dartmouth Gazette' dated June 23, 1819, being No. XLIII., vol.
19. The whole number to this date of the paper, in this form, is 1025.
It was then printed and published by Charles Spear. It would seem,
therefore, that the paper which originated with Moses Davis, lived for
more than twenty years. It was a valuable paper, containing a careful
summary of foreign news, sometimes long orations of English statesmen,
and an accurate record of local events. The original pieces were quite
numerous, written by occasional contributors, many of them students of
the college. The editorials were brief; in fact, a majority of the
early numbers contain no words which appear as editorial. The
political articles were decidedly favorable to the Federal party, but
moderate in tone. During the first three years of the existence of
this paper, Daniel Webster, then a student, was a frequent
contributor; he wrote both prose and poetry, more frequently the
latter. The topics were trite, but the thoughts were always serious
and elevated. In the issue of December 9, 1799, Mr. Webster published
a poem on winter; he was then a Junior in college. The European wars
commanded his attention and saddened his reflections.
"Mr. Webster continued to write for the paper after leaving college.
In his published correspondence, there is a letter from the editor
importuning him to write the 'Newsboy's Message' for January, 1803. He
says: 'I want a genuinely Federal address, and you are the very person
to write it. And this solicitation, sir, is not from me alone--some of
our most respectable characters join in the request.'
"The 'Dartmouth Gazette' was the champion of the college during the
entire period of its controversy with the State. Many of the ablest
articles written in defence of the college, appeared in its columns. I
regret that I cannot give the entire history of this useful paper; it
did a good work in its day, and we may now say literally, 'peace to
its ashes.'
"During a portion of the existence of the 'Dartmouth Gazette,' while
it was edited by Charles Spear, another paper was printed by Moses
Davis, called 'The Literary Tablet,' purporting to be edited by
Nicholas Orlando. Whether this is a _nomme de plume_ or a real name, I
cannot determine. Three volumes are known to have been published. It
lived for three years at least. The third volume dates from August,
1805, to August, 1806. It was a folio of four pages, three columns to
a page, of about fourteen inches by twelve in size. It was printed
every other Wednesday for the editor.
"A new paper appeared in Hanover, June, 1820. The prospectus was as
follows:
"'A new weekly paper in Hanover, N. H., to be entitled the "Dartmouth
Herald." The "Dartmouth Gazette" having been discontinued, the
subscribers, at the solicitation of a number of literary gentlemen,
propose to publish a paper under the above title. Besides
advertisements, the "Herald" will embrace accounts of our National and
State Legislatures, and the most interesting articles of news, foreign
and domestic; notices of improvements in the arts and sciences,
especially agriculture and the mechanical arts most practiced in our
own country; and essays, original and selected, upon the mechanical
and liberal Arts, Literature, Politics, Morals and Religion.
"'The original articles will be furnished by a society of gentlemen;
and it is confidently expected will not be unworthy of the interesting
subjects, to which a considerable space will be allotted in this
paper.
"'Bannister & Thurston.
"'Hanover, April 7, 1820.'
"It was a small folio of four pages, twenty by twelve inches in size.
It was well filled with news and original contributions. Its life was
brief. Unfortunately, no record was made either on the printed page or
the faithful memory, of the date of its decease, so far as I can
learn.
"For several years no periodical was published in Hanover. 'The
Magnet,' an octavo of sixteen pages, edited by students and published
by Thomas Mann, appeared in 1835. The first number bears date October
21, 1835. There seems to have been a rival paper contemporary with
this, called 'The Independent Chronicle.' In the November number of
the 'Magnet,' we find this allusion to it: 'The second number of the
"Independent Chronicle" is below criticism.' In the December number,
the 'Magnet' chronicles the demise of its despised rival, with evident
satisfaction. In 1837, another student's periodical appeared, called
'The Scrap Book.' I am unable to write its history; it was probably of
brief duration. In 1839, the students of Dartmouth College originated
a literary periodical called 'The Dartmouth.' It was published, I
think, for five years. The editors were chosen from the undergraduates
by the Senior class. Among the editors of 1840-41, were J. E. Hood and
James O. Adams, both of whom have since gained honorable distinction
in a wider field of editorial labor. A few months ago, I received as a
present from B. P. Shillaber, the witty and genial author of the 'Life
and Sayings of Mrs. Partington,' and other humorous works, a volume of
'The Dartmouth,' which he received from Mr. Hood. It was handsomely
bound, and labelled 'Brains' on the back. Mr. Shillaber says of it in
a letter, dated July 4, 1872, 'I find, that the volume comprises but a
half year ending with Hood's editorship and graduation. It
nevertheless will prove interesting; and it gives me pleasure to
present it, with a delightful memory of Dartmouth to commend the
trifle. I thought it might gratify you personally, as several of your
effusions are contained in it. Poor Hood has crossed the dark stream:
he died in Colorado last winter. He held you in enduring regard. The
title is a boyish suggestion; but there is more evidence of "_brains_"
in it than is to be found in many far more pretentious publications.'
"These remarks will apply with equal justice to the entire ten volumes
of 'The Dartmouth.' It was highly creditable to the students who
originated and sustained it. 'The Dartmouth' was printed by Mr. E. A.
Allen, who during the continuance of this periodical made several
other ventures in the newspaper line. Sometime during the year 1840 or
1841, he started a paper called 'The Experiment,' which was edited by
James O. Adams, then a student in college. This paper was subsequently
issued in quarto form and called 'The Amulet.'
"In 1841, a periodical called the 'Iris and Record' was issued in
Hanover. It was published monthly, in numbers of thirty-two royal
octavo pages, making two volumes each year. It was edited by 'an
association of gentlemen,' and filled with well selected and original
literary articles. It must have had a considerable circulation, if we
may credit the assertion of the editor of No. II., vol. 3, who says:
'We doubt not there are hundreds of persons, whose names are on our
subscription list, who might every month contribute a short article
upon some interesting subject.' The 'Iris' was also printed by E. A.
Allen.
"During the same year an anti-slavery paper was published in Hanover,
called 'The People's Advocate,' by St. Clair and Briggs. In July,
1843, J. E. Hood became its editor, and continued to publish it for
more than a year, when it was removed to Concord. 'The Advocate' was a
spirited paper; and the editor, then a youth, showed himself an able,
fearless, and uncompromising foe of slavery, at a time when it
required great moral courage and liberal sacrifices of time, talent,
and labor, to advocate the principles of the Free Soil Party. In
February, 1844, Mr. Hood established a paper in Hanover, called the
'Family Visitor,' in which he advocated the various reforms of the
day; and published a variety of original and selected articles in
prose and poetry, for the profit and amusement of his patrons. On
looking over some of the back numbers, I find the contents as lively,
piquant, and interesting, as the best journals of to-day. Mr. Hood was
born an editor, and to the day of his death he performed well his
part; and when his Master bade him 'go up higher,' he left few peers
behind him in his chosen vocation."
Rev. H. A. Hazen, a reliable authority on any historical point, states
that there was a printing-press at Dresden, (which included the
"College District," in Hanover, and a part of Lebanon), as early as
1777. Mr. Abel Curtis' Grammar was printed there by J. P. and A.
Spooner, in 1779. Other works, still extant, were printed by them at
about the same period.[35]
[35] "The Dartmouth" having been revived in 1867, is now issued
as a Weekly Magazine.
In tracing the progress of the college during President Lord's
administration, we cannot more fitly conclude, than by adopting the
language of Mr. William H. Duncan, who in a valuable tribute to his
worth and his memory, says:
"It was the proud boast of Augustus, that he found Rome of brick and
left it of marble. Might not President Lord, at the time of his
resignation, have said without a shadow of boasting, I found the
college, what its great counsel called it in that most touching and
pathetic close of his great argument in the College Case before the
Supreme Court at Washington: I found it truly 'a small college'; it
was in an humble condition; its classes were small; its finances
embarrassed; its buildings in a dilapidated and ruinous condition. I
left it one of the leading institutions of the land!"
Fuller details on these points will be gathered from subsequent
chapters.