The last ten years of President Bates's management of the institution were marked by signs of increasing prosperity. It was a time of renewed financial activity. In the year 1833 an effort was again put forth to raise $50,000. The sum was to be used for erecting new college buildings, establishing a manual labor department, sustaining an additional professor, creating a tuition fund, and increasing the library, apparatus, and mineral cabinet. The conditions made the subscriptions binding if $30,000 should be pledged before the 1st of October, 1835. This was accomplished through great effort. Of the money thus secured $15,000 was spent in building a chapel, $2,000 went to the altering and repairing of East College, and the remainder was applied to current expenses. The manual labor department here mentioned draws attention to an experiment tried for a short while in Middlebury, as it was at about that time in various other similar institutions. A mechanical association was formed in 1829 for the purpose of engaging in manual labor. A shop was built and supplied with tools, but the association's few years of existence do not appear to have been marked by enthusiasm or flattering results. Speaking with reference to it in 1837 Professor Fowler, with something very like a yawn, remarks that "the experiment thus far has been very much like those tried in other places; a few students have derived some advantage to their health from the exercise." The organization was evidently dying; the date of its death is not recorded.

The years 1838 and 1839 saw many changes, the faculty being largely reorganized because of death and resignation. In the latter year President Bates resigned and was succeeded in 1840 by Rev. Benjamin Labaree, Professor Stoddard acting as president during the intervening time. President Labaree arrived in October, 1840, to enter upon his duties, the students indulging in a general illumination of the college buildings in honor of the event. His administration covered a period of twenty-six years and included, consequently, the semicentennial celebration of 1850. This anniversary is notable in the history of the college, and furnishes a convenient point for retrospect. During the first fifty years of her existence Middlebury had 4 presidents and 15 different professors. Of the 5 real founders already mentioned all were dead in 1850, Daniel Chipman being the last survivor. Her graduates at the time of the celebration numbered 877; concerning them President Labaree said in his address of welcome:

The college has followed them as they have from time to time bidden her adieu, and have gone forth to take their places among the actors in the great drama of life. She has traced them round the globe; has seen them laboring assiduously for the highest good of their race in many lands, among the aborigines of our western wilderness, on the densely peopled plains of India, and on the far-distant islands of the ocean. At home they have been called to fill the most honorable and important offices in civil, political, and ecclesiastical life. She has seen them occupying commanding and influential positions in the halls of our National Legislature, on the

bench of justice, and in the gubernatorial chair. She has hound thich dopex in the forum. In the higher departments of education they have stood in the baxan a rank. She can number among them nine presidents of collegce and hipho ries, and at least 40 professors in such institutions, besides a very large minibanď devoted and efficient instructors of high schools and academice Pom humbobof them have chosen the clerical profession, and in at least 6 Christian demaninaloong they have held no second rank; 24 of the number have conscciafol themeloi ky the work of foreign missions. In all the learned professions and in various ada pad ments of education they have made valuable contributions to the healux of tha nation. Their alma mater is happy to know that nearly 790 of luck pon vived the first half century of her life,!

An examination of the records of the general catalogue will, beym d the rhetoric of the passage quoted has a complete underpinning of tijd To speak with more detail concerning the alumni who up to be mad served their country in civil office, there are included 11 menENEVA A Congress. 4 governor of States, and judges of uge sok k These records amply justified semicentennial festivific, and of the anniversary was marked, Among the oratore was sy Jazzeak Bates. the glorious" Hough, from 1×12 to 1200 w prowa faculty, and Dr. Truman M. Post, of in. Low

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1839, and is inondeo it
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1111

On the resignation of President Labaree, in 1866, Rev. Harvey Denison Kitchel, D. D., was called to the presidency from Plymouth Church, Chicago. He administered the affairs of the college for nine years with judgment and efficiency, resigning in 1875. In the summer of 1867, about $10,000 was expended in rearranging the interior of the chapel building, the changes having to do with the chapel, library, laboratories, and recitation rooms.

In July, 1875, Rev. Calvin Butler Hulbert, D. D., entered on the duties of the presidency, and was succeeded in 1880 by Rev. Cyrus Hamlin, D. D., LL. D., who was called from the chair of theology in Bangor Theological Seminary. Dr. Hamlin's administration of five years was an energetic one. With money contributed at his solicitation the library was furnished with more commodious quarters (mentioned elsewhere) and enlarged by the addition of many books; cabinets were given new and spacious arrangement; the physical apparatus was added to, and a boarding hall for the use of students built. In 1883 young women were admitted to the educational privileges of the institution, with a resulting success which from the outset carried the innovation beyond the experimental stage.

Dr. Hamlin resigned the presidency in 1885, and in 1886 Professor Ezra Brainerd was formally installed, having served as acting president during the intervening year. Since that date an additional endowment of about $300,000 has been secured, chief among the benefactors being Messrs. Charles and Egbert Starr, of New York City, and Mr. James B. Jermain, of Albany. The most notable feature of the administration thus far is the adoption in 1890 of a system of elective studies as a substitute for the time-honored and ironbound course. The change was a conservative one. According to the scheme as at present constituted there is no elective work in the freshman and sophomore years. In the junior year six hours a week are elected and nine hours a week in the senior year. Electives are offered in Latin, Greek, Old English, French, German, English literature, classical archeology, mathematics, the natural sciences, political science, history, and psychology. The change in curriculum has proven itself an eminently practical one.

At the biennial session of 1888 the legislature of Vermont voted the college an annual appropriation of $2,400 a year for four years, for the purpose of "paying the tuition and incidental college charges of 30 students therein, one of whom shall be designated and appointed by each senator in the general assembly, such appointment to be made by such senator from his respective county, provided any suitable candidate shall apply therefor, otherwise from any county in the State." The appropriation has been continued to the present time. With the exception of the $1,400 previously mentioned, this is the only State aid ever received by Middlebury College.