University of Vermont - Ariel Yearbook (Burlington, VT)

Page 7 text:

This record of an honorable and happy college career explains in part the warm interest which Mr. Billings has always taken in his Alma Mater. Some men who reach eminence seem to be willing to forget the college which in their youth laid for them the lowly steps on which they have ascended. Some carry away from college jealousies, grudges, a sense of disappointment and failure. But a true-hearted alumnus of a college is like a true- hearted boy, who remains always a boy toward his mother, and who after going around the world thinks his own mother the dearest and most beautiful of all mothers. In all that Mr. Billings has said and written of his Alma Mater, in all that he has done and is doing for her, we seem to see, not patronage, not largesse, not the munificence of a millionaire, so much as the gratitude, the admiration, the love of a faithful son. And we know it will gratify him to hear, as it is a pleasure to us to say, that we believe the spirit of the institution to be the same as that which from out the olden time keeps his affection ever warm and true, and we hope that the same wise and kindly mother which fitted him for his brilliant career will in the future produce other as appre- ciative and grateful and generous alumni as Frederick Billings. r- T'N 7

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wrote to a Meriden class-mate urging him to take his college course in the University of Vermont rather than at Dartmouth, on the ground of the superior attractions of Burlington as a place for residencle and study. It issthe universal testimony of his con- temporaries that young Billings' college career was a brilliant one. In a class which has furnished to the country several distinguished men, among them Judge Benedict ol the United States Court, and Bishop Howe of South Carolina, Billings was the leader in scholarship. In those days students were examined at the close of the college course in all the studies of the four years. The records of examination before us show that in this final examina- t-ion Billings outranlced all his class-mates in the mathematics and in the philosophical studies, and was excelled in the languages by only five-tenths, so that on a general average he stood at the head of his class. We note that in Algebra, Geometry, Conic Sections and Topography, his mark was 20, and in the Calculus 19. Let students take notice that college leaders do often become leaders of men in spite of all sayings to the contrary. Billings is said to have especially excelled in literary and oratorical efforts, giving promise of the ability he has since shown in this department, in which it is well understood he might easily have gained distinc- tion among the foremost. During a considerable part of his course he lived in the family of Prof. Joseph Torrey, and was employed by him as his amanuensis in the translation of Neander's Church History. He was an ardent admirer and favorite pupil of Presi- dent james Marsh, and had, as he himself has expressed it, the sad pleasure and blessed privilege of watching by his bedside in the three months of his final sickness. Billings was graduated August 7, 1344, having for his Commencement theme. Common Truths the Most Important. 6

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