Ronald White, guest author, explains that after his governorship, Chamberlain returned to Bowdoin College as its president, determined to modernize the institution. He introduced progressive reforms, including science, a medical school, and co-education,

Ronald White, guest author, explains that after his governorship, Chamberlain returned to Bowdoin College as its president, determined to modernize the institution. He introduced progressive reforms, including science, a medical school, and co-education, though these changes faced significant resistance from traditional alumni and faculty. His tenure was further complicated by religious tensions as Unitarianism challenged the college's Congregationalist roots, a conflict that reached into his own home as Fanny and his daughter Grace drifted from the traditional church. Despite his physical exhaustion and the heavy burden of fundraising for the college's infantile endowment, he remained a sought-after speaker who utilized his background as a professor of rhetoric to captivate veterans and civilians alike. He attempted to resign twice due to the stress, but the college refused to let its most famous son leave, recognizing his vital role in dragging the school into the modern era. On Great Fields: The Life and Unlikely Heroism of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (6)
1879 AUGUSTA