Road to Independence
自立之路
Yale is a private university which makes no social distinctions in teaching. Since 1817，with no government appropriation, alumni's donations have been vital to the university. In fact, the road to independence began much earlier.
耶鲁大学是一所有教无类的私立大学。自1817年起，该校校友的捐助在其发展过程中起着至关重要的作用。事实上，早在1817年以前，耶鲁的自立之路就已经开始了。
At the very beginning, it was a mission called Collegiate School. Then, the local government intended to interfere in the school matters. In 1763，under the leadership of President Tomas Clap, the school defeated the scheme 3 to make the institute affiliated to the state council, and started its journey to be independent. However, the price Yale paid was that in about 40 years that followed, Yale difficultly maintained its daily operation with high tuitions.
起初，耶鲁只是一所名为"大学学院"的教会学校；后来，当地政府企图干涉其学校事务。1763年，在托马斯·克莱普校长的领导下，学校击败了政府企图使学院隶属于州议会的阴谋，从此走上了"自立"之路。而耶鲁所付出的代价，就是在将近40年的时间里，仅靠高昂的学费艰难地维持着。
Thomas Clap (June 26，1703-January 7， 1767), whose tenure was from 1740 to 1745, was both the fifth rector and the earliest to be called "president" of Yale College.
托马斯克莱普（1703.6.26-1767.1.7 ), 任期为 1740年至1745年。他是耶鲁学院的第五任院长，也是第一位被称为"校长"的院长。

After the American Revolution, Yale President Ezra Stiles became reconciled with the local government in 1792. After a series of negotiations, the Governor and six of his senior aides entered Yale's board of directors while Yale got a large sum of money to set up new buildings which were much in need.
独立战争后，埃兹拉斯泰尔斯校长于1792年与当地政府"重归于好"。经过一 系列磋商，州长及其6名高级助手进人耶鲁董事会，而耶鲁则得到一大笔资金，修建了急需的新校舍。
The Rev. Ezra Stiles (November 29, 1727-May 12, 1795) was president of Yale College from 1778 until his death in 1795. He was "reputed to be the most learned scholar in New England". He was a good friend of Benjamin Franklin-they corresponded while Franklin was Ambassador to France. While at Yale, Stiles encouraged the sciences and engaged in electrical experiments which were instigated by Franklin, who sent him the equipment for experimentation. One of Yale's residential colleges, Ezra Stiles College, is named in his honor.
埃兹拉·斯泰尔斯牧师（ 1727.11.29-1795.5.12)于1778年出任耶鲁大学校长，直至1795年去世。他是"新英格兰地区公认的学识最渊博的学者"；他是本杰明·富兰克林的好朋友--在富兰克林担任美国驻法国大使期间，他们通过书信交流；在耶鲁期间，斯泰尔斯还鼓励发展自然科学，并投身于电学实验一他是受到富兰克林的鼓励，后者还给他寄来实验器材。耶鲁大学住宿学院之一的埃兹拉斯泰尔斯学院就是为了纪念他而命名的。