IN
MEMORY
OF
DOCTOR ANGELL
-
JL 7 w erYteli l' t
V .b
AV- 'V '
Vol. XXVI. No. 129 ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, SUNDAY, APRIL 2, 1916 Price Five Cents
JAMES
B. ANGELL
DIES
HISTORY OF LIFE
SHOWS LONG AND
USEFUL CAREER
PRESIDENT-EMERITUS PASSES
AWAY PEACEFULLY AT HOME
AT 11:50 O'CLOCK SATURDAY
$i'1t'l AS V, S. MINISTFER
4= ?YERN1-IENTS5
TO
PRESIDENT FOR 38 YEARS
I'reparcs for College at Smith ille
Academy and University
Grainaar School
President-Emeritus James Burrill
Angell was born at Scituate, Rhode
Island, January 7, 1829, of the fam-
ous sturdy New England stock, being
a direct descendant of Thomas Angell,
who joined Roger Williams on his
exile from Massachusetts in 1636. He
prepared for college at Smithville
Academy and the University Grammar
School at Providence, and took his
collegiate work at Brown University,
receiving his degree with the highest
honors in a class of 27 in 1849, when
he was but 20 years old.
fle spent the first year after grad-
nation as assistant librarian in the
university library and as private tu-
tor. His health becoming impaired by
this confining work, he traveled ex-
tensively in the south, making the
complete journey on horseback. The
next two years were spent in Europe
in study and travel, his intention be-
ing to enter the civil engineering
field.
This idea was interrupted by a call
from Brown University to the chair of
modern languages. Settled in the edu.-
cational field, he married Sarah Swope
Caswell, November 26, 1855. She was
the daughter of Rev. Alexis Caswell,
then a professor in Brown University,
and later its president..
Five years later, Professor Angell
became editor of the Providence Jour-
nal, conducting this paper through-
out the entire Civil War period. He
was called to the presidency ofVer-
mont University in 1866, where his
executive ability' and successful ad-
ministration soon won him fame
throughout the country as an educa-
tor. This splendid standing, together
with his scholarly attainments, his
genial manner and Christian charac-
ter, led the regents of the University
of Michigan to seek him for the presi-
dency in 1869.
Refuses First Michigan Offer
le was obliged to refuse this first
proffer, as his constituents in Ver-
mont realized the master hand that
was then guiding them and refused
to allow him to leave. The presiden-
cy of the University of Michigan was
vacant for 18 months, when it was
offered to acting president Frieze. He
declined, saying that he believed Dr.
Angell could be obtained ultimately.
Correspondence was again opened
with the Vermont president and in
February, 1871, the regents again se-
lected him to lead Michigan in edu-
cation. This second call was accepted.
Inaugural exercises were held on
Commencement day, June 28, 1871.
The warm public welcome given him
by acting president Frieze, was re-
echoed by the students and the citi-
zens of the state. Dr. Angell began
active work on August 1 of the same
year, and continued as chief executive
(Continued on Page Se ven)
UN I VERSITY EXERCISES
SUSPENDED
On account of the death of
Doctor Angell, all university
c ercises will be suspended
Monday, April 3. Funeral serv-
ces will be held at the house
Monday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock.
The burial will be privat.x
H. B. HUTCHINS,
President
MEMOIRS SHOW INTEREST
IN 9AFFAIRS Of IUNIVERSITY
IPresielent.-Enierlhis home on Campus
Cheers Last Years
of Life
1 resident-Emeritus Angell's deep
mterest in all things touching the life
of the University is strikingly shown
in his "Reminiscences" printed in 19132.
Again and again he referred' there to
the feeling he held for Ann Arbor,
with its student body and faculty. In
this connection he wrote:
"The life of the President of a col-
lege qr -university is often spoken of
as a hard and trying life. A laborious
life with its anxieties it is. But I
have found it a happy life. The satis-
factios it has brought to me are
quite beyond my deserts. The recog-
nition of the value of my services
which has come to me in these recent
days from regents, colleagues, grad-
uates and undergraduates humbles
me while it gratifies me."
In his conclusion, Dr. Angell speaks
of the action of the university in per-
mitting him to retain his residence in
the President's house after he had
resigned.
"I cannot be too grateful for what
they have done to cheer my pathway
through the remaining years of my
life. I can thus. hope to spend the
days allotted to me near to them, to
my beloved colleagues in the facul-
ties, and to the great company of stu-
dents whose presence has long been,
and still is, one of my great delights."
",eminiscences" was written at the
suggestion of President-Emeritus
Angell's many friends, to please them,
it would seem, for he states in his
introduction:
"I can assure them, however, that
autobiography compels one to write
so largely of one's self that it in-
volves the serious discomfort of a
seeming lack of modesty. But that
discomfort will be cheerfully borne'
by the writer, if this volume shall
help .to keep him in touch with the
colleagues and students whose friend-
ship has brought so much joy into his
life."
The book, which contains 258 pages,
is a description of the late President-
Emeritus' life from his early days on
a Rock Island farm to his retirement
from active work in Ann Arbor in
February, 1909.
ILLNSS STARTED JANARY 24
BY ANSWERING BIRTHIDAY
VOTES
FUNERAL AT 2:3O MONDAY
ieatlh (tCased by Attack of Terminal
Ineumonia; Children Come
to Ann rbor
President-Emeritus James Burrill
Angell died at 11:50 o'clock yesterday
morning following a gradual decline
in health since his illness of January
24. His death was caused by an at-
tack of terminal pneumonia, which set
in last Wednesday and brought Dr.
Angell's relatives to his bedside. Dr.
Angell's physician, Dr. James F.
Breakey, issued the following state-
ment yesterday afternoon:
"President-Emeritus Angell's last
serious illness was on January 24.
T his was a slight apoplectic attack
affecting his vision, and was brought
on in part by Dr. Angell answering
a great number of congratulatory
notes to his birthday, which proved
too much of a strain for him. From
that time on a gradually increasing
weakness due to the infirmities of his
age was evident. This was more or
less progressive up to last Wednes-
day, when terminal pneumonia ap-
peared, accompanied by fever and
difficulty in taking any form of nour-
ishment. Since that time his life was
a question only of his resistance to
death. The fact that he was able to
continue the fight for the last two days
was due entirely to his remarkable
vitality. He lied very peacefully at
11:50 A. M."
Dr. Angell's last serious illness be-
fore this year was in Sep'tember and
October of 1913, when he had an at-
tack of pneumonia. He, however, re-
covered from this and convalesced
sufficiently to take a trip through the
east, in company with his brother,
William. He also went east with his
brother last summer. Between the
'fall of 1913 and this winter he suffer-
ed from no serious ailments -of any
sort, and was in splendid health, con-
sidering his advanced age.
The events leading up to the death
of the President-Emeritus set in
shortly after his birthday on January
7. At this time he received a multi-
tude of gifts and letters, congratulat-
ing him upon the event of his reach-
ing his eighty-seventh year, and Dr.
Angell set about writing personal
answers to each communication and
for each present he received. This
proved too much of a strain for the
aged educator and diplomat, and re-
sulted in a stroke of apoplexy, with
an attendant weakening of the eye-
sight.
When it became evident last
Wednesday that Dr. Angell was ser-
iously ill, his two sons, Alexis, of De-
troit, a former United States Circuit
Court judge, and James Rowland, dean
of the faculties of the University of
Chicago, and also his dau; ;hter, Lois,
wife of Professor Andre w C. Mc-
Laughlin, of the history 3epartment
of the University of Chicago, came to
his bedside. When it was seen that
(Continued on Page Seven)
This photograph of Doctor Angell, one of the last and best, was taken
on the steps of Alumni Memorial hall, November 13, 1915.
University Officials Eulogize
President-Emeritus . ID.Angell
President Harry B. Hutchins
"Thousands will learn of the death
of Doctor Angell with feelings of pro-
found regret and great personal loss.
It comes to but few to influence the
lives and shape the careers of men and
women to the extent that he has in-
fluenced and shaped them. For nearly
half a century his noble example of
what a full and well rounded life
should be, has been an inspiration to
successive generations of students. Al-
though dead, he still lives-lives in
the great work that he has done and
in the careers of those whose lives
have been made broader and better
and of greater significance by reason
of his uplifting and stimulating ex-
ample. His distinguished services to
state and nation, and particularly to
the University of Michigan during the
many years when he so wisely shaped
its policy and guarded its interests,
calls for the highest recognition that
can be accorded."
Regent Junius E. Beal
"This will bring sorrow to the great
host of alumni, scattered all over the
world, who have always remembered
-----
him with appreciation for his kindly in-
terest in them not only incollege, but
following them through life."
Dean Alfred II. Lloyd
"As everybody will say, he has been
a great man in the University's his-
tory and in that of the state and the
country. Those of us who might be
said to have lagged a little with his
generation may well feel privileged,
having known him personally and felt
his strength and his warm, genial
character. His closing years, given to
broad and active interests, frequent
addresses, friendly intercourse, and
simple hospitality, have been for the
University like an affectionate bene-
diction."
Dean John It Effinger
"It is impossible to put into words
the sense of personal loss that Michi-
gan alumni all over the world will feel
on hearing of Dr. Angell's death. He
was so great and yet so simple that
all could approach him and carry away
a memory which will 1e an unfailing
('ouliniied on Page $eyei) ,
i