DARTMOUTH'S CHARTER

Key Excerpts from Document Granted 175 Years Ago

GEORGE THE THIRD by the grace of God of Great Britain - France and Ireland KING Defender of the Faith, and so forth.—To ALL to whom these Presents shall come. GREETING.

WHEREAS it hath been represented to our Trusty and well beloved JOHN WENTWORTH Esquire Governor and Commander in Chief in and over our Province of NEW HAMPSHIRE in New England in AMERICA, that the Reverend ELEAZAR WHEELOCK of Lebanon in the Colony of Connecticut in New England aforesaid, now Doctor in Divinity, did on or about the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Fifty four at his own expense, on his own Estate and Plantation set on foot an INDIAN Charity-School and for several years through the assistance of well-disposed Persons in America, cloathed, maintained and educated a number of the Children of the Indian Natives with a view to their carrying the Gospel in their own Language and spreading the knowledge of the Great Redeemer among their savage tribes . . .

KNOW YE THEREFORE, that We considering the Premises and being willing to encourage the laudable & charitable design of spreading Christian Knowledge among the Savages of our American. Wilderness and also that the best means of Education be established in our Province of New Hampshire for the benefit of said Province, DO of our special grace certain knowledge and mere motion by and withthe advice of our Council for said Province by thesePresents WILL, ordain, grant & constitute that there be a College erected in our said Province of New Hampshire by the name of DARTMOUTH COLLEGE for the education & instruction of Youth of the Indian Tribes in this Land in reading, writing & all parts of Learning which shall appear necessary and expedient for civilizing & christianizing Children of Pagans as well as in all liberal Arts and Sciences; and also of English Youth and any others.

And the Trustees of said College may and shall be one body corporate and politick in deed action & name, and shall be called, named & distinguish'd by the Name of the TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH. COLLEGE . . . and lor the more full & perfect erection of said Corporation & body politick consisting of Trustees of Dartmouth College We . . . make ordain constitute and appoint our trusty and well beloved JOHN WENTWORTH Esquire Governor of our said Province, and the GOVERNOR of our said Province of New Hampshire for the time being and our Trusty and well beloved THEODORE ATKINSON Esquire now President of our Council GEORGE JAFFREY & DANIEL PIERCE Esquires both of our said Council and PETER GILMAN Esquire now Speaker of our House of Representatives in said Province & WILLIAM PITKIN Esquire one of the Assistants of our Colony of Connecticut & our trusty and well beloved ELEAZAR WHEELOCK of Lebanon Doctor in Divinity, BENJAMIN POMROY of Hebron JAMES LOCKWOOD of Weathersfield TIMOTHY PITKIN & JOHN SMALLEY of Farmington 8c WILLIAM PATTEN of Hartford all of our said Colony of Connecticut Ministers of the Gospel... to be Trustees of said Dartmouth College in this our Province of New Hampshire ... (the whole number of said Trustees consisting and hereafter to consist of TWELVE & no more)... .

And that the said Corporation by the name aforesaid shall be able and in law capable for the use of said Dartmouth College ... to purchase receive or build any House or Houses or any other buildings as they think needful & convenient. . . and also to receive and dispose of any Lands goods chattels and other things of what nature soever for the use aforesaid . .. and therewith or otherwise to support and pay ... the President Tutors and other Officers & Ministers of said Dartmouth College. .. .

And further ... there shall be once a year & every year a meeting of said Trustees held at said Dartmouth College

And we do also for us our Heirs & Successors hereby willgive and grant unto the said Trustees of Dartmouth College foresaid & to their Successors for ever that when any seven or more of the said Trustees or their Successors are convened & met together for the service of said Dartmouth College at any time or times such seven or more shall be capable to act as fully & amply to all intents & purposes as if all the Trustees of said College were personally present.

And we do for us our heirs & Successors hereby will give & grant full Power & Authority to the President hereafter by us named & to his Successors or in case of his failure to any three or more of the said Trustees to appoint other occasional meetings from time to time.. ..

And further we do by these Presents for us our Heirsand Successors create make constitute nominate & appoint our Trusty and well beloved ELEAZAR WHEELOCK Doctor of Divinity the FOUNDER of said College to be PRESIDENT of said DARTMOUTH COLLEGE and to have the immediate care of Education 8c government of such Students as shall be admitted into said DARTMOUTH COLLEGE for instruction & education. ...

AND also we do will give and grant to the said Trustees convened as aforesaid that they elect nominate & appoint so many Tutors and Professors to assist the President in the Education & government of the Students belonging thereto as they the said Trustees shall from time to time think needful & serviceable to the interests of said Dartmouth College ... & also that... as often as one or more of said Trustees shall die or by removal or otherwise shall according to their judgment become unfit or incapable to serve the interests of said College do elect & appoint such Trustee or Trustees as shall supply the place of him or them....

And we do further Will ordain & direct that... Eight* of the aforesaid whole number of the body of Trustees shall be resident and respectable Freeholders of our said Province of New Hampshire 8c seven of said whole number shall be Laymen.

And we do further of our special grace certain knowledge and mere motion will give and grant unto the said Trustees of Dartmouth College that they and their Successors or the major part of any seven of them which shallconvene for that purpose as is above directed may make & they are hereby fully impowered from time to time fully & lawfully to make and establish such Ordinances Orders & Laws as may tend to the good and wholesome government of the said College & all the Students 8c& the several Officers 8c Ministers thereof & to the publick benefit of the same not repugnant to the Laws & Statutes of our Realm of GREAT BRITAIN or of this our Province of NEW HAMPSHIRE and not excluding any Person of any religious denomination whatsoever from free & equal liberty & advantage of Education or from any of the liberties and privileges or immunities of the said College on account of his or their speculative sentiments in Religion 8c& of his or their being of a religious profession different from the said Trustees of the said Dartmouth College. .. .

And we do further of our special grace certain knowledge & mere motion Will give if grant unto the said Trustees of said Dartmouth College for the encouragement of Learning and animating the Students of said College to diligence & industry & a laudable progress in Literature that they & their Successors or the major part of any sevenor more of them convened for that purpose as above directed do by the President of said College for the time being or any other deputed by them give & grant any such degree or degrees to any of the Students of the said College or any others by them thought worthy thereof as are usually granted in either of the Universities or any other College in our Realm of Great Britain, & that they sign & seal Diplomas or certificates of such Graduations to be kept by the Graduates as perpetual memorials & testimonials thereof

. . . that they & their Successors shall have a common SEAL under which they may pass all Diplomas or Certificates of degrees. ...

To HAVE AND TO HOLD ALL & singular the Privileges Advantages Liberties Immunities and all other the Premises herein 8c hereby granted given or which are meant mentioned or intended to be herein & hereby given & granted unto them the said TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE & to their Successors for ever.

IN TESTIMONY whereof We have caused these our Letters to be made Patent and the publick Seal of our said Province of NEW HAMPSHIRE to be hereunto affixed WITNESS our Trusty and well beloved JOHN WENTWORTH Esquire Governor and Commander in Chief in and over our said Province &ca. this THIRTEENTH day of DECEMBER in the TENTH year of our Reign and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Sixty nine.

* By amendment of 1893 reduced to seven and by further amendment in 1921 to five.