214 Perspectives in Microbiology 



to Queen's College, was born in New York. But the name 

 Rutgers — unpronounceable for the Anglo-Saxon tongue — 

 leaves not the slightest doubt regarding the origin of his 

 ancestors. Even nowadays descendants of the patrician 

 family Rutgers enjoy great esteem in Holland. 



Apart from the university's name, there is also the dona- 

 tion made in 1927 by the Holland Society of New York: 

 the fine statue of William the Silent on the campus, which 

 testifies to the fact that also in later years the university 

 has been fully aware of the important part Dutch settlers 

 played in its foundation. I need scarcely say that it gives 

 me the greatest satisfaction to speak before the repre- 

 sentatives of a university in which the Father of my Father- 

 land, this great champion of tolerance and defender of 

 freedom, is held in such high esteem. 



Both the university's name and the statue are, however, 

 mere symbols of the good relations which of old have ex- 

 isted between the State University of New Jersey and the 

 Netherlands. A more convincing testimonial to this bond 

 can be found in the fine history of Rutgers College pub- 

 lished in 1924 by your former president, William H, S. 

 Demarest. The first chapters, dealing with the origin of 

 the college, solidly document the fact that the initiative 

 for its foundation was taken by settlers of Dutch descent, 

 in close consultation with the Dutch Reformed Church. 

 Demarest says, regarding these settlers, "The college is a 

 child of their fine tradition, their zeal for education, their 

 devotion to the faith, and of the compelling circumstances 

 in their new American life." 



I feel fortunate that I can quote from such an authorita- 

 tive and unbiased source, since a perusal of the book has 

 taught me that not all my fellow countrymen have under 

 all conditions been favorably disposed to the idea of found- 

 ing a new center of learning in the New World. Particu- 

 larly, the Classis of the Dutch Reformed Church at Amster- 

 dam seems to have opposed the project rather vigorously, 



