University of Massachusetts Amherst - Index Yearbook (Amherst, MA)

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Perhaps the greatest misfortune which has befallen the College since the death of President Chadbourne is the resignation of our highly esteemed Professor of Mathematics. During his short stay with us, Professor Basset has gained such an unbounded respect, admiration, and affection from every student as lies in the power of but few men to command. His patience and kindness, his untiring- efforts in our behalf, have made him a model which all must desire to follow. In leaving his professorship here to pursue higher studies, we can assure him that he will always hold a place in the heart of every man who was in his classes, and that each and every one wishes him the best of success. Our best wish for our College shall ever be that he may sometime return to fill an honored place among the fac- ulty of this institution. We shall miss Professor Goodell, who has been called by a large vote to represent this district in the Legislature. Beside his usual duties, which are always so thoroughly performed. Professor Goodell has attended to the purchasing and recataloguing of the books of our rapidly increasing library. Professor Goessman ' s department, containing as it does the over- sight of both the College and Experiment Station work, has been steadily growing until he has finall} ' been obliged to relinquish the recitation of the lower classes to Professor H. E. Stockbridge, attend- ing only to the upjDer classes and work of the laboratory and station. Besides Professor Stockbridge, whom the College has been fortu- nate in securing and we hope may succeed in retaining, we have during the past year received instruction in Physiology from Dr. Tuckerman of ' 78, and in Mathematics, Professor C. D. Warner of ' 81 has assumed the chair left vacant by Professor Basset. To all these we extend a hearty welcome, and hope their connection with the College may be a long and pleasant one. Of Dr. Miles there is need of much being said which it does not become us to say. That his services were secured by our late Presi- dent Chadbourne with the intention that he should hold a prominent place in the direction of the Farm and Experiment Station was a well-known fact. That he is most eminently fitted to fill such a place has been thoroughly proven to all unprejudiced minds. That it is the one place wherein his vast stores of knowledge and experience 13

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. .3 mm EDITDRIAL. 6i|g ' OMING to our many readers and friends with the chronicles of our inner college life, we would first of all beg you to look with great forbearance upon our work, remembering that a sufficient punishment is brought upon the rash and inexperienced Index Board when the liabilities are brought forth. However, we shall strive to fill our place in the unbroken line of those who, since the first Junior Class, have toiled and suffered in like manner, wring- ing from their inmost souls those wondrous productions only to hear the heartless remark — stale jokes. Thus anticipating our fate, we would only ask that those errors which may occur be kindly overlooked, and, furthermore, that a suffi- cient amount of pity be felt to induce every one to invest in a full stock of this number of the Index. Dviring the past year President Greenough has proved himself capable of not only governing the College, but also of raising its standard both in an intellectual and moral way. Although the ex- pulsion of men is no doubt an unpleasant duty and frequently excites strong feeling, it is often no more than just to those remaining, and when judiciously done must elevate the tone of the College. It is at the same time a serious matter, and should have good and definite reasons. The various unpleasant episodes and apparently foolish acts which have occurred all round the past year, and which have caused no end of trouble and ill-feeling, are, we hope, things of the past which may never occur aarain. 11

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have the least chance to show to the world his wonderful power of applying the theoretical to the practical is a matter to be most sin- cerely regretted by all who wish to see a strong union between the science and the practice of Agriculture. In addition to his regular duties as Professor of Agriculture and Instructor in Biology, Dr. Miles has this year instituted a very interesting series of experiments, involving extensive and accurate measurements of every man in Col- lege; Dr. Tuckerman assists Dr. Miles in this work. The Horticultural department is now better supplied with assist- ants and workmen than formerly, and is in a very prosperous con- dition. It is blessed this year with a handsome new barn and store- house. The President ' s house, so beautifully situated on the hill east of the Plant house, is an ornament to the place and affords a suitable residence for our President, at a convenient distance from the Col- lege. The general condition of affairs is excejDtionally favorable to the rapid advancement of the College. Ample means are now afforded here for a thorough scientific education and college training at a moderate expense, and we feel confident that, was the exact condi- tion of this institution more thoroughly understood, there would be more to enter each year than the College could accommodate. We believe that a great change has been made within the last few years. Although all useless class-work has been abolished and only that which is most useful retained, yet the agricultural part of our train- ing is under such a thorough and skillful Professor that it is now one of the most instructive and popular branches in the course, as the experiences of the past year have shown conclusively. The Military department has been restricted to three drills a week, but it still seems too much to require of each Senior Class that it be obliged to spend about one-third of its time on military studies and drills. The last year of the course is far too valuable for literary or scientific work to be thrown away upon military. Athletic sports have been well sustained during the past year; our base-ball and foot-ball teams have been quite strong, although from lack of time we have played but few games. We can also boast of good tennis players and riders of the wheel. Our lack of a properly 13