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The embarrassment as to Mr. Gallaudet's attending meetings of the directors was happily relieved some months later by the contribution of one hundred dollars from a friend in Baltimore, whose name was not disclosed, for the purpose of making him a member of the board for life. And his unfailing modesty appears in his unwillingness to accept even this solution of the difficulty, until the directors had by a formal vote declared that they saw no impropriety in his becoming a director while holding the office of principal.

It must be said in this connection that Mr. Gallaudet's distrust of his own ability, and indisposition to assume and exercise authority which was not definitely conferred upon him, proceeding no doubt from his sincere modesty and his strict sense of justice, had the effect on certain occasions to impair his efficiency, and oftener to add greatly to his cares and worries.

The directors apparently failed to understand Mr. Gallaudet in this matter. When he hesitated as to his ability and showed a disinclination to accept power, they would take him at his own estimate, providing for the government of the institution in ways that were ineffective and cumbersome, and which were sure to end unfortunately, as they did.

A clearer discernment on the part of the directors of Mr. Gallaudet's ability to manage the institution, in all its departments, would have led them to give him full powers -- an arrangement which would certainly have saved a vast amount of exhausting friction on all sides.

But this clearer vision did not come to the directors, nor did Mr. Gallaudet ask for those broad powers which naturally belonged to his office. As a consequence the fourteen years in which he continued to act as principal of the institution were full of exasperating difficulties growing out of the mistaken policy of the board as to the method of government.

In July, 1818, the directors adopted a series of regulations recognizing the existence, defining the powers, and prescribing the duties of a Faculty, consisting of the Principal, the assistant Teachers and the Superintendent."

In certain matters the faculty were to act by vote, the members having equal power. Certain duties were assigned to the principal, and he was to perform them without interference from the faculty or the superintendent. Certain other duties were given to this last named officer, who was, so far as they were concerned, made equally independent.

Under such a divided organization the wonder is, not that there were serious difficulties and an utter lack of harmonious management, but that the institution was not overwhelmed with disaster and left to break down by its discouraged and handicapped nominal head.

The writer believes he is not awarding undue praise when he claims that few men could be found who would have shown the tact, forbearance, boundless patience and supreme charity in all judgments of associates that was ever exhibited by Mr. Gallaudet while he continued to hold the office of principal.

Evidences of the unwisdom of the "Faculty" organization abound in Mr. Gallaudet's papers.

A few months after the adoption of the regulations described above, which made the assistant teachers of equal authority in the faculty with the principal, Mr. Gallaudet received a note from one of these teachers, Mr. Clerc, in which he expressed his purpose to return to France, at least for a time. Mr. Clerc concludes as follows: --

Tell me frankly if you desire me to return to the United States, and if so, how many years do you wish me to stay? Do not say forever, for I am not willing to do it. Tell me likewise if you would have any objection to my having a salary larger than your own?

Mr. Gallaudet responds:

In reply to your note of this morning I tell you frankly that it is the first and most ardent desire of my heart that you would not go to France at all, and that if you must go you would return as soon as possible. It is indeed my earnest prayer that we may continue to labor together in doing good to the dear immortal souls by whom we are surrounded. If you can not conclude to spend your days with us, can not you engage after your return to stay five or six years? I do not urge this point. I would rather have you return to stay only two or three years than not to return at all. With regard to my salary, while I remain single, I shall be perfectly satisfied with my present income, unless some very unexpected change in the affairs of the institution by the liberal increase of its funds should make it convenient for the directors to increase it without injury to the institution. Nor shall I feel at all disappointed if your salary is made to exceed mine.

Strange as it may now seem, the suggestion of Mr. Clerc as to salary was, at a later period, acted upon favorably by the directors, and more astonishing yet, other instructors, whose services were considered of less value to the school than those of Mr. Clerc, received for years salaries larger than Mr. Gallaudet's.