TO DR. TYLER, PRESIDENT OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF MT. HOLYOKE SEMINARY & COLLEGE:We, the undersigned, teachers of Mt. Holyoke Seminary, having just learned of the resignation of our Principal and her Associate, feeling that at this critical time a change would be detrimental to the best interests of the institution, do most earnestly hope that their resignation will not be accepted.
Miss B--- has invited me to the pleasant work (so far as you are concerned) of telling you what is going on here. You probably know that there was a trustee meeting Thursday at the M--- House. Miss B--- went down towards noon, and at the 15 min. bell we called a prayer meeting of the teachers in the parlor, and Miss Edwards told them for the first time that she and Miss Blanchard had resigned. It came upon them like a shock. I delayed for a few moments to speak with Miss Clapp and Miss Englehart who stood with the tears streaming down their faces. Miss E--- in her broken English kept saying, "Can we do anything, Oh! Oh! Can we not do something!" "Why," said Miss Clapp, "perhaps we can send a petition," and she turned to me. "Do you see any objection?" I saw none, and such a scene of hurrying too [sic] and fro began as I cannot describe. Petitions were drawn up, Miss Edwards was consulted and made no objection, there was no time to lose. Miss Clapp flew from room to room asking those who wished to put down their names to go up to her corner as expeditiously as possible. Miss Berry hastened to the stable and engaged the fastest horse, but there was no man at home to harness. There was no harness at home that fitted the lively little grey, but Miss Berry took parts of three and made out a good rig for him! In perhaps less time than I have been writing, twenty-six have been up and registered and Misses Hooker and Berry sprang aboard for Holyoke to catch the train if possible. When they started both the horse's forefeet were in the air as he felt the lash. They flew out of sight, whe [sic] wheels spun, they swept over the bridge with unabated speed and were not arrested, and they reached the station three minutes before the train.
A telephone message had been sent conveying the information that it was desired that they wait for a document then in transit. Miss B--- was met by Dr. Hitchcock at the door and delivered her paper and it was glanced at with the remark that it was well, for the teachers were of the same mind with them and did not wish their resignation accepted.
Dr. Love stood alone in claiming that those who had brought the institution up to the college status should have the right to carry it on if they could, and should not be out-ranked unless for proved incapacity. Miss Blanchard says that she did not intend to, nor wish to, be president. But that does not alter the fact that to vote to place another above her, while declining to accept her resignation makes it difficult to guess what they do desire unless it be that she bear the burdens and another wear the honors.
They voted to invite Miss Brigham to take the Presidency and Dr. Clark, Dr. Tyler, Dr. Young, and Mr. and Mrs. Williston were appointed to wait on her and convey the proffered dignity. Will she accept? I do not know. She has been in more or less continuous correspondence with Dr. Tyler all the year. I presume the trustees are not making this plan without reasonable assurance that she will accept. That she is expected to be flexible in their hands in all changes which they propose to make is not to be doubted.
There is probably more grief and wrath commingled within these four walls than in any others in this commonwealth. Nobody knows just what to do about her future unless possibly three or four, nobody sees one single inch ahead, all engagements are presumably cancelled, all laboriously developed plans metaphorically cast into the ash heap. If we could only see the glory of the Divine Presence going before us as assuredly as Israel did, perhaps we should have strength to go a little farther. Our poor human eyes, while we dwell in the body, cannot help cry out for light. We do try to remember that "like as a Father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him, for he knoweth our frame. He remembereth that we are dust." The waxy paleness of some of these faces is almost deathlike. In one thing we do have great sense of conscience and that is we should surely have sought the college charter if we had known sure what would come, because we knew that it was right.
We are taught thoroughly to "cease from man" and every worldly and material support.
A kind and sympathetic note has just come from Miss Wood.