Ex-president Tappan

At a recent meeting of tlie rniversity Benato Aetlng President Frieze oftered the t'ollowing tribute to the memory of Uie i!eceased ex-PresIdeot of tlie University of Michigan, Dr. Tappaji. Dr, Frieze spoke HS folio VS : Gkntlemkn of THE Sknatk : Asrain it lias limóme iny sad and p.'iinftil iluty to uil you together for the purpote of adoptiiiíí resol uUaru ol respect tor tlie honored deacLi Scurccly a year go W8 lollowed to their lasl restinK ))lace tn remalng of tlie lame nted Watson. Since Uien Governor liajílcy, Kx-l'ri'sidcnt Haven, and the venerable Professor Williams bave paáwa away, one after another In qulck guocotalon, and the deatb ofeach oftbem has called forth from tliis Senate expressions of profound regret,and the due tribute of praiae for preucnlnent worth nd .service. Kul ihc death record ol' the year was not vet ( losed. One inore name was U; be added to the moimiful list; a name which must fórever stand liist iiiiumg the names illustrious in the history of the Uuiversity. We have received the aunouncenient of the death of Heniy Philip Tappfto, fint President of the University of Michigan. Mostjinpiessively does this annouiicement come upon us, fter the losses unprecedented in our hitor)r, which we have so recently been called to luourn. Most impressively does it remiml us that that this iiistitution is rapidly passing beyond its Infancy, and that it numbers amongst its l'iicnil, its alumni, and lts past and present offleers of instruction, n.any who are airead y advanced in lifeand who areliable ilany moment to fall by the wayside. Wc know not yet the nature of the attack which baa suddenly removed the venerable ex-President trom the scènes of eartli. Letters received froin his family but two wei'ks ago spoke of liim as being In his asnal vijjorous liealth, and as taking bil oustomary walk. Cértalnly we had reason lo tliink Ihal lic hail stillastrong hüld apon lili1, even thoughseveralyeais beyonU the allotted three score years and ten, and tliat years of tranquil tiappiuess were ,-nii in st eire l'or liim. in Ihat Bweet vale in the heart oí Switzerlaml, whicli lie bad choteo for liis last earthly home. Kut whaiever inay liave been the occasion of his death, his numerous friendsand ailmircrs in this and inforeign lunds, and abovi' all. those wlio were related to liim in this University as associates or pupils will find amournful satisfaction in the reflection tliat the great work of hls Ufe wai long ago completed, and tliat it as Completed heic. For however eminent Dr. Tappan may have been as a thlnker, as u phuosophioal wrlier, as a divino, as a gifted teacher and as au eloquent speaker, there can be no doubt that his wel] won reputation derived trom these varlous gitts and attalaments, will be eclipsed by the greatness of his achievement in founding and building up, in organislng and developing the higher edueational work of the State of Michigan. And this greatness will be enhanced iy the loflueuce which his work will be tbund to have exerclsed apon tlie State universities aml the educational sysleiu .ir all mevasi refionof the lakes and of the west. Filled with the idea of the excellence and completeiiess of the educational systems of some of the European nationalities and seeing no promise or pogMblllty of any such iystem in oor Atlantic States, where the bightr institutions are entirely isolated, and have no robt in the system of public primarv and sceondary schools, he caine t this State, then inits inl'ancy, and hefound here, inembryo, the yery system of general and complete organlzation which he so much longcd to see in operation, the counterpart, at least in form, of those of the old worhl, and the only one, which, in his estimation, possessed the conditions of solid, permanent, and complete success. With gieat euthusiasm he entered upon the enterprise of developing the edueational (icissiliilitics of this system; .with glowing Sloquencehe impressed his great thoughts and high hopes upon the educatora and the people of the State. His comprehensive, views, taking In the lnterests, not of any one cltt.. not of any one prolession, not of any one departinent of study, or grade of education, but the educational interests of all classes and of the entirecommunity, in all l.Ki'i.nfffleSflvrYve'ífríV extenslrc reading, froni wide observation, andprofoundthought, have been impressed go ludellbly upon the University and the educational work of the State, that these will nevei ccase to be a clear and legible record of the great life-work of Henry P. Tappan. There is no doubt that his genius, his eloquence, his lorce, and persistence, gave an impulse to the etlucational work of the Universit}' and of the State which will be feit to the latest times. And now. I invite you, gentlemen, to take sueh ineasures as may seem to you approprlate for the purpose of showing all due honor to the nieinory of the first President of the University. President Friee and Professors Cooley, i amier,LF woge, anu .vuains weie appoiuieu lis a counnittee to draft an iipiropriate memorial, and the followiug action was taken by tlic Scnate 011 Monday evening, November 28, 1881. THE ACTION TAKKN BY THE SENATE. The membcrs of the University Scnate have received with profound sensibility tlie intelligenee of the death of Henry Fhilip Tappan, onr formei l'rcsident. Graíefbl to a kind Provldenee Coi having ¦pared the life of' this eminent man nntil he (ni ful] of days as lie was of honors, we deeni Itlltting in expressing our sense of his loss to recall with brevity some of the whirh spuciully endeared his memory to the hcarts of thüse whose all'ections cluster aroand tlie University, to wliicli he gave the best thought and the most earnest 'labors oí his matured years. liile y et the University was incomplete, even in skeleton structure. and belore thero liad been breathed Into it the life of popular favor, he took up ils intcrcsts in his strong iiriiis, with a faith that saw all its possibili 1 1 1 acouraf,re tbat would not stopshort of irbicving them. lic brunht to us an acquaintance with forelgn sy.-tem, wliich was new to our people.and he wasone of th flrst among einin. ent educators to perceive that the systein, Of which asketch alremly appcarcd inour luu-,had been wisi-ly phmned.was peculiarly titted to the needs ofjtlie State, and, it devc1iih-i1 in the lightof (brein experience, was eapable of belog made the chief glory of the. conimon weaith. He suw botter than otbers did that in acCOmplUhlllg tbis the chief need was not .-tatcly halls and aspirinfi ell apela, bilt eduoated and able men, and he not only called sucb men about him, so lar as the resources at his command would enable him to do 60, but in reports, public uddressus, and jjapers hi' tppealed to the people of the State and to it legUlatura to take this imperfect and Starring iustitution to their hearts, and ){ive tci it the ineans of conipleting a of Inatrncton, commensurate with the deniaud.s wbii-li bc lircaw niiist soon b made upon it, and in soine d('j;ree proportioued t the resources of the State. While appeallnff for State aid be did not licsitate inaay rcloini beoaan it would for the time enromitcr popular opposltion or prejudicc, but moved on witb coutidence trnttina in the good sense ot tbe baoplefer the linul RppTOTal ut' lils plans. We recall csiccially amODS tbe.se relorms the abolition of college dormitories with their atliinlaiit evils. Bellevlng most iniplicitly tbat the University should not stand apart trom popular iist uut ons and lrom the people lic chaUenged the assistance of the peo1 1 ¦ lor it is au integral and necessary part of a State educational system, of which the comraoa and high schools should also be necessary parts; and much of his attention :is directed io maktne it plain that the best interests of the State required lytteni complete and adequate to all the inmfiwf instructioii, interwoven with the polittcal stmcture of the State, mui vu mling its beneficem and elerativg intluences to every hamlet and every houschold. Compelled to Ml pil to a people still busv in hewing out íor themsHves dwUlxig Bracee in the forest, and still hcavily burdeuetl with public and private dihts, ituns inevitable that heshould ot'ten be rebuffed, luit he was never diaooafged) and hc bad tlic -rreat and proud sulistiiclion ot knouIng that (ram year to ycar hc was ipaking his war stcadily in the confldence and regard of the people, and that the Inivcisity of his affectionsj was gradually and surely bccoming also the Uuiversity of the people. His broad cathoücity of spirit rojeited and spurned the notion before prevalent that appointments to chairs of lostructlon must be made on denomlnatlona) jfrounds, and he refused to recognize in thosc who should be invited to share his labora any other tests than those of character and litness. Among his pupils he was ({Uick to recognize ability and promise, and during an ineumbency of the President' chalr tor eleven years, he drew tohimself theesteem and afl'ection of successive classes, and inpressed every receptivo and vigorous mind among them with something of his own strength and power. When ,he left he could justly take Uitísfaction iu the knowledge that his pupila, while thus respectinghim u a teaeher, loved hlm also as a companion and Wend, and bore tor hlm such revereuce as children have for a lather, at once great in hcart, broad in mind, and vigorous in intellect. Clienghing the memory of his great qualities and great services, se dohereby resolve : 1. That this expression of onr este m mul regard be ontered as a perpetual memorial on the records of the Senate, and that a copy thereof be published in the papers of the day. 2. That we mostjdeeply gympathfee th the tamily of the decêased in thelr great and áore affliction. and that the Secretary be directed to transniit tn them a copy öt' this paper asan imperfect bilt most sincere expression thereof.