1903-04 Volume 28 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

THESCROLL.As take man's nature from him, leaving thereThe sediment of selfishness, and wearHorrible channels for impurer waves.Ere thou dost lose this gem, reflect, O man!That this especially keeps Satan under ban,And that 'tis holy faith alone the soul immortal saves.. WM. R. HIGGINS.THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT.One hundred years ago the four men who formed the firstclass graduated from the University of Vermont were seniors.Thirteen years before, in 1791, the state legislature hadaccepted from Gen. Ira Allen a large sum of money and fiftyacres of land for a university, but owing to Gen. Allen'senforced absence abroad the charter of 1791 did not becomeoperative until 1800. In that year the Rev. Daniel C. Sanderstook at his home a class of four men, who after a year ofpreparatory study entered upon their college course in 1801and were graduated in 1804. From this small beginning thegrowth of the University of Vermont has been steady, exceptfor two periods when war interfered. In 1812, the ChamplainValley was one of the centers of conflict and the collegebuilding was used by the United States troops as an arsenaland barracks. Consequently, the members of the seniorclass were given their degrees and the underclassmen wereadvised to go to other colleges. Reorganization was effectedin 1815, since when there has been no suspension of exercises.The civil war drew away almost half the students whowere in college at the commencement of hostilities, and preventedmany who would have entered from so doing, but yeta small class was graduated each year. Not a few are thehonored names of those who went from the University ofVermont to join in the conflict for the preservation of theUnion. In the college chapel is a tablet to the memory oftwenty-one heroes who gave their lives as an offering at thattime. Since the war the university has enjoyed continuousprosperity.The location of "Vermont" is most fortunate. The cityof Burlington enjoys an extended reputation for beauty ofsituation enhanced by pleasant, shaded streets and sightlydwellings. The city is located on the east shore of LakeChamplain, at the point where the prospect over lake, valleyand mountain is widest. The city is built on a series of terracesthat rise gently and extend a mile back from the lake.On the last and highest terrace, over a hundred feet above