EDUCATOR 91 



nation against a gentleman who, he said, "had been a father 

 to him." But the caucus insisted upon its action, and before 

 election day matters were so arranged that he accepted the 

 nomination and of the 793 votes cast he received 517, or a 

 majority of 241. It was fortunate that he was persuaded 

 to withdraw his objections, for he was able to be of vastly 

 greater service to the College in the hall of representatives 

 at Boston, than he would have been in the recitation room 

 at Amherst. 



The Legislature of 1885 was a very able body of men. 

 Several of his associates attained eminence in political life 

 and many were afterwards distinguished as men of affairs. 

 Here he made the acquaintance of men interested in indus- 

 trial education, several of whom afterwards became trustees 

 of the College. He served on the standing committee on 

 education. This session of the legislature was really the 

 turning point in the interests of the College. It has been 

 said by one who had ample opportunity to know whereof 

 he spoke, Hon. William R. Session, who was then serving 

 as Senator and who was for many years Secretary of the 

 Board of Agriculture and a trustee of the College: "I am 

 convinced that the favorable change in the temper of the 

 Massachusetts legislature toward the College, which set in 

 at that time and has continued ever since, was very largely 

 due to President Goodell's influence on the representative 

 men from all over the state, with whom he was brought in 

 contact during that season's service at the State House." 



During the winter South College was destroyed by fire, 

 and the friends of the College were very much depressed ; but 

 Goodell was equal to the exigencies of the case. He se- 

 cured the necessary appropriations not only to rebuild and 



