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er location and plan of buildings, a plan of organization and course 

 of study. There was a delay in the report of the committee, and om 

 the 3rd of August, six months after, Wm. B. Washburn, afterwards; 

 governor, and Henry F. Hills of Arnherst, were added to the com- 

 mittee. 



On the 13th of October, 1865, a special meeting was held at the 

 request of Davis, Durfee, Lathrop and Stedman, when Davis offered 

 a vote that the committee be instructed to locate the college buildings 

 on the plain near the center of the farm upon what is known as 

 chestnut tree ridge. The five members of the committee with Mr. 

 Colt voted in the negative, and the other six trustees present voted 

 in the affirmative. It was understood at the time that several of 

 these gentlemen having discovered that the president was persistent 

 in his views, voted with him to avoid a break upon the very first 

 question which carne before them. The other trustees thought the 

 question important, and they might well be condemned by good farm- 

 ers in placing buildings, farm buildings and all, on a hill in the south- 

 east corner of a large farm. Up to this time Col. Wilder was pre- 

 vented by ill health from attending the meetings of the board. No- 

 vember 1, 1865 the trustees voted to employ an architect to report 

 as to location, and Dec. 27, Mr. Vaux, the architect, made a report, 

 and the meeting was adjourned to Jan. 2, 1866, when Mr. Davis 

 renewed his motion. The President was so persistent in his opposi- 

 tion to the vote that he would not put the question ; when after several 

 hours of discussion Mr. Davis put the vote himself, which was car- 

 ried nine to six, Messrs. Hills and Whiting of the committee having 

 changed their votes, and being no longer willing to sustain the Presi- 

 dent. President French refused to consider this vote decisive, and, 

 without authority, commenced excavations in the hill for building. 

 The location was further discussed August 1st, and again on the 16th, 

 when the motion was once more carried. This was the second final 

 vote. Mr. French still refusing to '* commend the ingredients of the 

 poisoned chalice to his own lips," called a special meeting to let 

 Amherst people present their views as to location of buildings, at 

 which Hon. Edward Dickinson, Treasurer of Amherst College, came 

 down to Boston and lectured us like children, 4t unpacked his heart 

 with words, and fell to scolding." Thereupon Prof. Clark presented 

 a remonstrance of over three hundred citizens of Amherst against 

 interference with the discretion or action of the trustees. This meet- 

 ing was held Sept. 19, 1866. 



