59 



iC.ivc his time to the dotails of tho work, so thnt. it is said, more than 7.000 en- 

 tries ill tlu' rani <-atal<).i;u(' aro in his iiaiulwritin};-. In a like iiiamuT ho w.is 

 vt'stryiiian. delejiato, and (•oiinuittocuiaii in his church and cicM-k of the same 

 for twonty-five years. He was president of the Andierst (Miih. representative 

 to the iejjishiture. nienih<>r of tlie Massachusetts Horticultural Society .md of 

 the Massachusetts A^iricultural Society. 



These were all matters incidental to his real life work, but his interest in 

 :ind devotion to them were ch.-iracteristic of the <iuiet. service-seekins? side of 

 his nature, which at times could also rise to heitrhts of enthusiastic action. 



To the ^lassachusetts A.i,'ricultural Collejie he devoted his life, hcuinniufj; 

 when a younj; man of 2S. from which time until his death, a period of thirty- 

 eiyht years, lie jjave unsi)arinKly all that he had in any service which could 

 be of value to that institution. He was appointed to instruct in literature and 

 modern lanjiuases, but. with a fine spirit of devotion, he did not think it be- 

 neath his dignity, as the necessities of the college (hMiianded, to serve at differ- 

 ent times as instructor in frynniastics and military tactics, as lecturi'r in ento- 

 molo^'v. as instructor in anatomy and ]ihysiol(i,i,'y. and as instructor in rhetoric 

 and elocution. He was also for a time secri'tary of the faculty, for fourteen 

 years lilirai-iiin. for some months acting president, and. finally, for nineteen 

 years president. He rendered this variety of service not because of any rest- 

 lessness or special versatility, but strictly from a sense of duty to the colles^e, 

 which in its early days was often compelled to utilize all of its resources in 

 order to fulfill its oblij^ations to students. As one contemplates this record of 

 service he is struck by the devotion, the cai>acity for application exhii)ited by 

 President Goodell. and the amount of work whic-li he actually turned off. For 

 instance, he was a iiassionate lover of books, and I'.irly took upon himself to 

 care for the colkw lil)rary. For many years, in addition to his other duties, 

 he was librarian in fact as well as in name, selectin;,' and imrcliasini; Itooks, 

 keeping records, preparing the card catalogue, arranging exchanges — all with 

 marvelous efficiency — and thus created by liis own personal efforts one of the 

 most complete and well-selected agricultural libraries in the country. 



The college was for many years one of the pioneers in the field, located in a 

 community in which agriculture was a minor industry, and surrounded by an 

 educational atmospliere which was unsympathetic, if not hostile. The condi- 

 tions were discouraging and incompatii)le to a young man of Goodell's training 

 and temperament, but here again his ((uality of ccmrage. l)ased on confidence in 

 the right of things, kept him faithfully at his jiost. and he lived t<» see the day 

 when, largel.v through liis own efforts, the college had established itself in the 

 esteem of the community, overcome prejudices, and secured a high educational 

 standing. Through all of this evolution he adhered persistently to high stand- 

 ards of education, such as seemed to him befitting the institution and the intel- 

 lectual conditions of the State. 



When lie became ])resident of the institution it stood sadly in need both of 

 students and resources. The i)roblems before him were difficult, involving, 

 first of all. the establishment of public confidence in the college. His labors in 

 this direction were forceful and effective, and he soon succeeded in securing 

 needed recognition from the State. During his presidency the real estate of 

 the college increased in value one-third ; its equipment, fourfold, and its income, 

 threefold. 



His relations with students were firm but kindly ; severe in discipline, but 

 only as a last resort, and withal with such sympathy and kindliness of heart 

 that few others of the long-time members of the faculty were so well beloved as 

 he. He kept up a large correspondence with alumni and old students, result- 

 ing in an exceptionally accurate record of all who had ever attended the insti- 

 tution. He remembered and could call by name most of those who had come 

 under his care. With this record of quiet, unselfish, and effective devotion to 

 the institution and its students, it is no wonder that his name is affectionately 

 cherished and honored at the Massachusetts College. 



In the work of this association, and in the establishment of the foundations of 

 the land-grant colleges and experiment stations. President Goodell had an 

 important and almost luiique part. A- full comprehension of this can only be 

 had by those who shared with him these labors. With the passage of the 

 Hatch Act it became apparent that an organization of tlie executive officers of 

 these institutions was a necessity. Tlie attention of Congress could only be 

 secured by he presentation of matters of national scojie in concrete and unified 

 form. The plan of education and research mapped out for the land-grant colleges 

 was too broad, varied and comprehensive, and too vital to permit of its develop- 



