Career Of Former Washtenaw Man

Dr. Gabriel Campbell of Dartmouth College. Graduate of University. Military Man, Text Book Writer and Professor of Philosophy - A Success in all Three Lines.

An interesting resume of the career of a former Washtenaw county boy recently appeared in the Union, of Manchester, N. H. The occasion of the article is the rounding out of twenty years by Dr. Gabriel Campbell as head of the department of Philosophy in Dartmouth college. Dr. Campbell is a member of a prominent family in this county and a brother of Robert Campbell of this city, William Campbell of Ypsilanti, ex-Senator Campbell and ex-Representative John K. Campbell. Dr. Campbell spent his young manhood on his father's farm in Augusta, and graduated from the State Normal college and the State University. He has proved that he is possessed of large and varied ability. It will be remembered by many of those here in Ann Arbor that while Dr. Campbell was a student in the University that he was chosen captain of a company composed mostly of students which after the defeat of our army in front of Richmond went hastily forward with the 17th Michigan Infantry for the defense of Washington, whose capture was threatened by the victorious enemy. Within two weeks after the regiment left Michigan it made that desperate charge at South Mountain which gave it the name of the Stonewall regiment, where the enemy were assailed while strongly entrenched behind stone fences, and were hurled back in confusion. The company of students led the center of the charge. The regiment lost over one-fourth of its members engaged, in killed and wounded, in this battle. Among the other important events in the career of this former Washtenaw citizen the before mentioned article states the following: He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1865 and from Chicago Theological seminary in 1868. He then was called to the University of Minnesota, where he organized the chair of philosophy. After having been there thirteen years, in 1881 he became the professor of philosophy at Bowdoin, from which college he came to Dartmouth in 1883. He studied at Berlin two years. Before going to Germany, and while at Minnesota university, he published a Germany grammar. Dr. Campbell considers one of the greatest honors that have come to him as that of being elected a member of the Berlin Philosophical society, to which few Americans gain admission because of their inability to speak German fluently. Professor Campbell has been loyal to Dartmouth, having three times refused prominent positions such as president of colleges, one of them being the University of Minnesota. The beginnings of the philosophy department at Dartmouth are interesting and have lately been reviewed by the department. At first lectures were a novelty at Dartmouth. The professor of philosophy was informed that "lectures are all right in a German university. Our young men need to be held to work on a text book." This is in strong contrast to methods of today, when a large part of instruction is by lectures from which students take notes. The department of philosophy at the outset, in addition to the usual branches, included political economy, which embraced political, economic and social science. It also appeared that Professor Campbell's predecessor had taught the international and constitutional law with success. Although the new incumbent had had a course in constitutional law under Judge Cooley himself, he recommended that the law be given to an assistant, and an instructor was appointed accordingly. In the course of two or three years, Professor Colby was elected to a new chair of law and political economy. More subjects were then offered and electives increased. After several years economics and social science became each an independent department. Several years ago, a course in the philosophy of education was instituted. A year or two later, in 1898, an addition to the teaching force in philosophy was secured in the person of Dr. Herman Harrell Horne. The separation of education and philosophy has enabled the latter to conduct three new courses, and the coming year it is planned to make a beginning of graduate instruction. At first the senior year was the exclusive arena for philosophy, and little else was required that year. Now nearly all subjects in philosophy are open both to juniors and some also to approved sophomores. As far as practicable two opportunities will be given for pursuing each course. There are two courses in psychology, with further privilege to take special work in social psychology, mental pathology, telepathy, etc. Two courses in logic may lead to "Introduction to Philosophy." In ethics, two courses are open to all: advanced ethics to approved applicants. In history of philosophy there are three courses, including historical ethics. These may be followed by speciality work under systematic philosophy of history or by study at the sources in the Greek department. In looking back over the work accomplished during these years, it is plain that a great advance has been made. The best men have done remarkably fine work. In a fair proportion of cases they have taken honors. Occasionally a man has waked up and won a commencement rank by his record in philosophy. Not a few have carried on studies after graduation. Some, doing part of the work at a university, have secured a higher degree. In exceptional cases they have been able to study abroad. At present, Dartmouth is represented in the study of philosophy in the graduate departments of Harvard, Yale, Clark and Chicago. A large number of Dartmouth alumni who are teaching or are in the professional schools confess to finding their Dartmouth notes of great assistance. There have been more calls for men to psychology and ethics than Dartmouth has been able to supply. It has been found that in one or two states the lectures have been given under the auspices of the teachers' associations. Dartmouth's great poet, Richard Hovey, '85, continued philosophical studies and for a time lectured on philosophy. His writing on the philosophical basis of literary art is as meritorous as his poetry. Gradually, the department has urged making philosophy elective, and the privilege of freedom of election of studies is as great at Dartmouth as in the universities. The coming year, for the first time in the history of the college, philosophy will be entirely elective. Thus, under the wise foresight of Professors Campbell and Horne, the department of philosophy is now on a broad and thorough basis and in all these changes that are taking place so rapidly at Dartmouth is seen the able, wise and masterly hand of that expert mover of men, President Willian J. Tucker.