Seventy Years Of The Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Page 43

licensed preacher as well as a doctor of medicine, was a distinguished teacher and scientist. As soon as he learned through Governor Washburn that his name was being considered, he wrote immediately to decline, saying that he would remain at Williams unless he accepted the presidency of Wisconsin. He also stated that the Worcester position should be given to a man of thirty, he having reached the ripe age of forty-one. Chadbourne became first president of the Massachusetts Agricultural College in 1867, president of Wisconsin, 1867-1870, of Williams, 1872-1881, and again president of M.A.C. until his death in 1883.

Dr. Chadbourne later recommended Prof. C. F. Brackett, a former pupil and his successor in the professorship of Chemistry at Bowdoin. Dr. Sweetser invited Brackett to visit Worcester, but after much correspondence had to report that the gentleman was unwilling to consider the position.

The man next recommended, almost simultaneously by Dr. Chadbourne and Dr. John D. Philbrick, able superintendent of the Boston schools, was Charles 0. Thompson, then principal of the Arlington High School. Mr. Thompson's background put him in high favor with the trustees. Son of the Rev. William Thompson, professor of Hebrew at Hartford Theological Seminary, he had prepared for college under Dr. Chadbourne at East Windsor, Conn., and had graduated with honors at Dartmouth in 1858. He had been principal at Arlington for four years, had previously taught at Peacham Academy in Vermont, and had had a limited experience as a civil engineer in New York state. Physical sciences, particularly Chemistry, had been his deepest interest. He had carried on these studies continuously, and had become well known as a popular lecturer on science. Best of all, he was only thirty-one. So, on March 20, 1868, he was formally elected Principal, and professor of Chemistry, on his single condition that the opening of the school be postponed until November 1, so that he might visit the technical schools of Europe.

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Last Modified: Fri Jul 30 11:15:25 EDT 1999