Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1888 [PAGE 207]

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210

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

Dr. Gregory had served the University for twelve long and arduous years, at a time when the noblest qualities of mind and heart,—wisdom, foresight, promptness, courage, --all the characteristics of a competent leader, were in the most urgent demand. I n none of these respects was he found wanting. The difficulties of his position, the honesty of his purposes, the magnificent breadth and adaptibilitv of his plans, the strength of his character, can be understood and appreciated by no person more fully than by him whose fortune it has been to follow in Dr. Gregory's path. The friends of the University should ever be loyal to the memory of its first Regent. And now comes the most difficult part of my allotted task' The person who essays to write the history of events in which he himself has been an actor, should possess the rare faculty of putting himself without himself, so that in all respects he may treat both himself and those about him with the most complete impersonality. This task I find myself incompetent properly to undertake. If I have accomplished anything here, and I hope that my work has not been altogether fruitless, it has been by dint of patience, perseverance, and silence, and now silence will be the best account I can give of a good many things. Although I had held a brief connection with the University, it had been severed for some months, and at the time of Dr. 'Gregory's resignation I was in other occupation a thousand miles away. The telegram which brought me news of his resignation was indeed a surprise; but a far greater surprise was one which came later, announcing that I was appointed temporarily to fill the remaining time of his term of service. I had as little ^expectation of* the appointment as I have now to become the president of the United States. But the telegram had the significance of an order, which I felt I must obey. I knew, indeed, that there were difficulties to be encountered. What pursuit has not? And I kept finding them out—for that matter they are still -discoverable, though many have passed away. In the first place, many of the students looked askance at the new Regent, part because he was not Dr. Gregory, part because he was not Dr. McCosh. The seniors were said to have held a meeting to determine whether they would return or not, but kindly consented to give the new man a trial. Then followed the duty of administration upon the affairs of the estate, with provision to be made for payment of the legacies. There was the legacy of the depleted treasury. There was the legacy of the course in •domestic science, bequeathed by its resigning professor. There was the legacy of the military rebellion, although most of the dead •and wounded had been removed. There was the legacy of the student's government, the senior tree, the fraternity question, the management of the Illini, and more. One by one these matters have been settled, the legacies paid off, and, on the whole, as I