University of Delaware - Blue Hen Yearbook (Newark, DE)

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Of the early struggles of the College while it Was suffer ing from the lack of students and resources, he says: At this time the attendance was small and the Trustees found great difficulty, with the small in- come at their command, to pay the necessary ex- penses. The salaries of professors were meager and the utmost economy was used in maintaining the College buildings. The Legislature was ap- pealed to for aid but at first responded very re- luctantly. It seemed to be hard to convince the law makers that the College, as a State institution, ap- pealed strongly to their liberality and of right claimed justly their support, and that State pride should inspire them to deal generously by it in mak- ing appropriations. I took part in every movement of the kind, using my best efforts and all the influ- ence I could bring to bear in its behalf. As the number of students increased it was found abso- lutely necessary to have larger and better accom- modations. By a strenuous effort, including a visit to the College by the Legislature, the Want of a larger building was made so apparent that a bill was passed giving the College an appropriation for the erection of Recitation Hall 41890-925. Since then appropriations have been granted for enlarg- ing and remodeling the old Dormitory building and for workshops and a large gymnasium. In all pro- gressiveumatters in relation to improvements and to educational instruction I have taken an active part and as the chairman of the Committee on In- struction and Discipline and as a member of other 9

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the difficult problems that confronted the Board of Trustees in the management of the affairs of the College. He was made Vice-President of the Board upon the election of Chief Justice Lore to succeed in the Presidency made vacant by the death of Dr. Bush. He has served on all the most im- portant committees of the Board, both permanent and spe- cial, in many cases as chairman, and has been most active in pushing all measures that promise the betterment of the College. By the force of his character and the wisdom of his counsels he has been enabled to fix the impress of his life upon the workings of the College and to determine its de- velopment upon broad and lasting foundations. Mr. Hayes thus describes his iirst connection with the College and his subsequent interest in the institution. In 1832 and 1833, then a lad of 16 years, he was a student of Newark Acad- emy under the rectorship of the Rev. A. K. Russell. As I remember, Newark College was built in 1833. I do not recall any formal ceremonies at its founding, such as laying the corner-stone, etc., but have a distinct recollection of the open trenches for the foundationsg in fact while I was playing around them with other boys and making inquiries of the man in charge of the masonry, he handed me a brick and showed me where to place it in the corner of one of the trenches, saying that it would not be removed and that I could say I laid the first brick in the College building. I have often thought of this incident and it may have been one reason, though less important than many others, for the ac- tive interest I have always felt in the success of the College. 8

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important committees have for many years devoted a good deal of attention to the affairs of this insti- tution as well as to other subjects of general edu- cation. Mr. Hayes proceeds to tell of other activities in which he has been engaged for the education of the public: I was for sixteen years President of the Dover Library and by a personal visit to the Sec- retary of the United States Treasury, obtained per- mission for the Library to use the fine suite of rooms on the second floor of the Post Ofhce Build- ing at Dover. A few years ago the stockholders of this library transferred their stock gratuitously to the Dover Town Library, which now enjoys the free use of their books and other privileges. I de- clined an election to the Presidency, but was soon afterwards appointed by Governor Hunn a mem- ber of the State Library Commission and accepted the Presidency of the Board. I have taken an active interest in agriculture and was made corresponding secretary of the first State Agricultural Society in 1849, and continued to act in that capacity for more than thirty years, in the meantime making monthly reports on the condition of crops to the U. S. Department of Agri- culture and maintaining a large correspondence with other agricultural institutions and progress- ive farmers. My report of the State Board of Ag- riculture of 1888-89, the iirst published, was es- teemed of general interest and highly valued by the farmers. The volume contains about five hun- 10