24:
��THE GRANITE MONTHLY.
��elected professor in 1871, which posi- tion he has now resigned on die com- pletion of his forty-seventh annual course of chemical lectures. Prof. Brown resigned his professorship in 1 86 1, to assume the presidency of Hamilton College, which position he occupied for fourteen years, but is now connected with the college as instruc- tor in intellectual science. Prof. San- born, after having been in the service of the college for forty-seven years, resigned in 1882.
From the time of his appointment as commissioner of schools for Strafford county, in 1850, to his death, Prof. Woodman took a lively interest in popular education, and was in some way connected with every important educational movement in the state during this period. In 1S51 he was one of the commissioners to devise plans for and locate the state reform school. At the June session of the legislature in 1852 the commissioners presented a very full and able report, which Prof. Woodman had prepared. It was recommended to locate the school on the Jeremiah S. Abbott farm, on the banks of Long Pond in Concord, and while diversity of opinions and conflicting interests prevented this recommendation from being accepted, the general views set forth in the re- port were adopted, and later carried into effect. During the years 1 85 2-3 and 1853-4, Professor Woodman was school commissioner for Grafton county. His predecessor in this office was Rev. Charles Shedd, and his successor the Rev. Mr. Squares. Each year he visited every town in the county, often traveling on foot, giving lectures and addresses, and in various ways endeav- oring to awaken an intelligent interest in education. His enthusiasm, coupled with sound common sense and a knowl- edge of men, enabled him to address his audiences with remarkable success. In many of the towns which he visited he could find no one willing to speak on account of a lack of experience. To overcome this difficulty he was in the habit of asking some of the prin-
��cipal men in the place to occupy a front seat, and when he had spoken to request them to express their views on the subjects under consideration, saying just keep your seat if you prefer it." He once remarked that some of the soundest views and best suggestions he had ever heard on education were made by plain men sitting in their seats, who could not be prevailed upon to stand and address an audience. During the two years he was com- missioner, Prof. Woodman held six institutes, among the most interesting and valuable that have been held in the county. Those for 1852-3 were at North Enfield, Littleton, and Went- worth, and at the first one hundred and fourteen members were in attend- ance. The institutes for 1853-4 were held at Plymouth, Lisbon, and Canaan. At the latter there were' one hundred and forty members, a larger number than had attended any previ- ous institute in the county. During this period Prof. Woodman contributed frequent articles to the newspapers of the state on educational subjects.
He gave an address, October 2, 1 85 1, before the Connecticut River Valley Agricultural Society, at Haver- hill ; and September 1, 1852, an ad- dress before the Associated Alumni of the Merrimack Normal Institute at Reed's Ferry, both of which were pub- lished. In the former he treated of farming in New Hampshire in a very able and interesting manner, showing much practical knowledge of the sub- ject, and embodying the results of careful study and extended and minute observation. In the latter he chose the theme, " What is good instruction ? " and handled it in a masterly way. He also gave several lectures, and made addresses on various public occasions. His style was marked by clearness and vigor, and while he was by no means a graceful speaker, his matter was such as to command attention, and audiences always listened to him with delight and profit. By study and practice in speaking he overcame his natural timidity, and in his later public ef-
�� �
