Charles R. Cherington, Professor of Government, died last Wednesday at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. He had been ill for many years.

Cherington, who retired last year from active work, was a long time favorite lecturer in Gov. 1. He also started a course in Canadian government and was a tutor in Lowell House.

Despite illness, Cherington taught at the Graduate School of Public Administration for more than twenty years.

After publishing his Ph. D. thesis on railroad regulation in 1948, he became a leading national expert on the subject.

Cherington than branched out to deal with problems of city government and state regulation of industry. For a period he taught every course Harvard offered in municipal government and urban problems. With Carl J. Friedrich, Eaton Professor of the Science of Government, he co-authored the comprehensive "Plan for Metropolitan Boston."

Leader in Adaptation

Samuel H. Beer, Professor of Government, said yesterday that the 53-year old Cherington was "one of the wittiest men at Harvard" and one of the most energetic. "He always did more than was asked of him," Beer said, "and only his health, which had been bad for fifteen years, forced his retirement last year.

"He went to Harvard in the old white shoe days. Yet he bridged the gap between the old and the new Harvard," Beer said. "He adapted beautifully, and was a leader in adaptation."