Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-08-22

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their serious consideration. In con-
clusion he earnestly appealed to them to
attend personally to this work, and to
return again at the next anniversary.
The Rev. Ira Pettibone, class OF 1925
then obeyed the summons of the Presi-
dent, and stated the reasons why he had
not more frequently attended the Alumni
festivals,
The Oldest living graduate, Mr. ., t.
Hopkins, class of 1904, was then called
upon and responded briefly.
Henry NJ. slade, ESQ, class of 1850, re-
spouded to the sentiment 1.-THE Glass OF
1907" which his father, Elk, Gov. slade,
was distinguished member. his
thoughts were gracefully and happily
expressed,
DR., Truman Post OF St. Louis, Glass OF
1929, was the next speaker He spoke
some length very tenderly and earnestly
of his obligation to his College instruct
ors and guardians, and paid another
eloquent tribute to the memory Of DR..
Bates, whose monument was dedicated
so appropriately in the morning.
Rev. o. E. Daggett, the orator OF the
Philadelphia Society, was the last
speaker.
At 8 o'clock the services were brought
to close, and thus ended the Alumni
Exercises of the 9th Anniversary.
In the evening the President gave
reception at his residence, which was an
agreeable and pleasant reunion of old
friends and the strangers in town.
COMMENCEMENT DAY.
A procession was formed at the Col
lege and marched to the Church to lis.
ten to the inaugural Address of Profess
sor Geo. N. Weber. The Professorship
of Moral and Intellectual Philosophy
having been literally endowed by Hor-
ace Fairbanks, Esq, of st. Johnsbury,
the Corporation elected Rev. Geo. N.
Weber, formerly pastor of the Congre-
gational Church at st. Johnsbury, but
recently of Worcester, Mass. He is a
gentleman of marked ability, and his
elaborate and exhaustive address fully
indicated that that Chair in the College
will never lack for instruction of Wig
orous and practical character. His
theme was the aim and Influence of
Mental and Moral Philosophy. A brief
outline of the nature OF the studies in
his department was given, after which
he proce eded to a searching review of
the objections commonly urged by schol-
ars against objective studies, giving a
lengthy argument in favor of their util-
ity and necessity in a course of liberal
culture, as among the highest sources OF
human knowledge, for we had not
reached the golden age when men asked
no questions also that philosophy is 8
necessity of our intellectual needs. The
aim and method Of psychological knowl
edge was discussed in a practical anC
discriminating way, which gave thu
large audience comprehensive view o
the subject, which to popular audi
ence is usually dull and it's elaboration
above their understanding, but on thi'
occasion q new light seemed to b.
shed upon their minds, so clear and ex
plicit was its treatment. The scienc,
of Psychology, he remarked, is in itsel
complete. The question "How do W
know and how much is it possible TO
US to know 2" was an important one
and it could in a great measure b
answered by investigation OF the law
of our mental being, for so long as th
problems of our being are open, tn
science must be sought.
There were many difficulties whicI
had hedged the way, and among ther
the dogmas Of a certain school of philos
ophers, who had asserted that positiv
! studies were the only needs of the min
for its development. The positive schoc
of philosophers were ably reviewed, an
the course of reasoning adopted wa
forcible and had pleasing effect upo
all his auditors, leading them to ne'
views of the relations of philosophy i
its various departments, The Naturs
Sciences, it was contended, were largel
indebted psychology, and each had IT
lation to the other which was of gres
, Importance as well as an aid to then
! in the full development of both Theories
, The next point presented was the il
: fluence Of Psychological studies upo
the mind and character Of the studen
l Liberal education was the business Of
3 college, therefore it was development
1 the mental faculties that was its end an
( aim. Exact studies in earlier studeI
| life had their place and their use in Il
/, formative process of development, b.
, as man does not live by bread alone, s
!. too, the mind needed something mo
t than exact science to feed upon, and
1 class of studies that cultivate the int
1oat nd boort Of bn aapoo ,oor;OI a