46 



Here closeth the dentition period of our college, before it had 

 begun to walk alone, in which the stomach as well as the head was 

 largely disturbed. Our first President threw up his commission and 

 took " French leave"!* During his presidency, in May, 1865, the 

 legislature authorized the town of Amherst to raise $50,000 by 

 taxation for the college, and in the same month granted $10,000 to 

 aid in the establishment of the college. 



Prof. Paul A. Chadhourue was elected President Nov. 7, 1866, but 

 by reason of ill health, was obliged to resign the June following. 

 The course of study which he marked out has been substantially fol- 

 lowed ever since. Prof. Chadbourne was a wonderful man, as ver- 

 satile as any one we can name ; a scholar, a philosopher, a scientist, 

 a Christian minister, and a teacher, he possessed qualities which are 

 rarely combined in one man ; the shrewdness and economics of a 

 Yankee, practical familiarity with details, decision of character, 

 great administrative power, the faculty of separating what is practi- 

 cal from what is merely theoretical, great activity and energy, united 

 with method and system. He was therefore the man of all others 

 for the college during its formative period. He entered upon his 

 duties with every encouragement. The Governor and Council had 

 in September, 1864 approved the location. The legislature had fur- 

 ther approved it by granting power to the town of Amherst to raise 

 $50,000 by taxation for college buildings, and by the grant of $10,- 

 000, and the citizens of Amherst had thus also shown their continued 

 interest in the college, though delay had been occasioned by the suit 

 brought by a few of its citizens to dispute the constitutionality of the 

 Act. A citizen of an adjoining town had been unanimously chosen 

 superintendent of the farm, and instructor in agriculture. I refer to 

 Hon. Levi Stockbridge, who has ever since been so faithful, respect- 

 ed and popular an officer of the college. President Chadbourne had 

 also laid his plans for a small body of professors, and commenced 

 the south dormitory, laboratory and south boarding house, which 

 were completed in 1867. Dr. Durfee, Leonard M. and Henry F. 

 Hills had given $20,000 for the establishment of a plant house and 



*Meanwhile May 26, 1866, the Board of Agriculture, which was one of the first Boards <>! 

 Agriculture created in any state, was constituted a board of overseers "with powers and 

 duties to be defined and fixed by the governor and council," but "no powers granted to 

 control the action of the trustees of said college, or to negative their powers and duties." 

 The board was also " authorized to locate the state agricultural cabinet and library, and to 

 hold its meetings in said college," and the president of the college was constituted a mem- 

 ber ex officio of the Board of Agriculture. [Chap. 263, Acts of 1866. 



