New-York tribune., 1873-06-27
EDUCATIONAL NEEDS.
GRAFTON AT HARVARD BY THE HON
CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

ING FOR THE PRESS AND THE B0SfRu M-Tns
| ISSUES THAT CONFRONT U.s.
! IRON THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRfBUNE'l
| CAMBRIDGE, Mass, jane 2G.-The annual meeting
OF the Phi Beta Kappa Society was held to-day. Tho
| business Of the meeting wac secret. The officers
elected were President the Hon. r. II. Dana;
Vice-Presdent, the Rev. l.. +. Hale; Corresponding
Secretary. +. T.. Anderson; Treasurer, Henry y.
Denny. The procession met in Gore Hall, and
marched TO Appleton Chapel, where the Grafton was
delivered by tho Hon. Charles Francis Adams. Tho
large audience present manifested their appreciation
of the earnest and eloquent orator by frequent
applause 1t il an interesting fact that John Quincy
Adams the father Of the orator of to-day delivered
the Grafton before the Phi Beta Kappa s. years ago.
in 1885, Ats o'clock the Society adjourned to Mas
sachnsetts Hall to partabe Of the annual dinner. al
which tue Hon. X. H. Dana jr., presided. The hrSt
tOast was 10 tbs Phi Beta Kappa and wac
responded 10 by Mr.. Adams Presdens
Eliot responded 30 the toast to the g Alma
Mater. Harvard University" Brief speeches
wero made by Judge Hoar the Rev. Mr.. Gnueil,
Gen. Mcdonald, Prof. Goodwin, and others The
Rev. Phillips Brook spoke for the clergy. Dr. o. w.
Holmes read short but charactcustcally humorous
poem, which is said to have been written during tho
delivery of the Grafton. thus robbing himself of
great pleasure that he might be ablo to Charm tho
ears OF the Society. The attendance at tl3 dinner
was larger than for many years The following "A
| the full text Of Mr.. AiaIns's address:
MT. ADAMss GRAFTON.
! GENTLEMEN: dad little dinlculty in iustfying 70
myself tho rlshnoss Of accepting the Invitation with
which have been houorcd address you. n looks 10"
much as IT, IN tho face OF 50 many admirable things
done hero by the ablcs OF fraternity chosen out ot
three successive gcn .ations Of gra luates,
suminc that thov had sti left part Of their work
for 10 perfect Moreover I feel as II were pro-
sontng myself in the position OF living anacronism
OF least thirty years. The velocity with which ths
civilized world has moved in that time wOuld seem 10
supply demanding the application Of fesher and
more flexible minds. veteran laying down his arnor
TO repose may indeed fight his battles again for his
own amusement, hut be viii scarcely pretend that he
welds the vgor OF the youth who is bucklng for tho
fray. He may perhaps doude himself, and imagine
hat from the results Of experience he has gathered
some general conclusions not wholly inappropriate TO
the consideration Of those VIII. TO after him.
II Is IN this sense and this Ouy, that have muserc
courage 10 lay before you thoughts ls
anniversary.
Possibly II should he added that alone, but
society TOO, bears marks u age by reason whereof
ore than hints uttered while ago that its mis-
On had become too 10 suit the need or the t1
panding progress of the University. Dsoiaming any
wish to assume intellectual rhnement the exclusive
pr perty OF class It may yG be fairly argued " selcct
association any pursuit that 1t Is after ALL practically
much the most effective stimIlant TO excellence. But,
leaving the determination of that point it may not 10
wholly out Of place glance Ior moment at what our
mission really has been and how far 1t has attaineds
| ,ARLY PHI rAPPA HISTORY
II now lacks but little OF hundred years since the
gannatlOn les object was the establishment OF bond
OF syrnpathy between the youthful students n Amori
can colleges n the pursuit = te higher objects OF edu
cation. II was spontaneous impulse, premonitory OF
the widening nature Of the demand about to be made
upon powers aud the resulting duty OF ncRs
preparation for the emergency. Tho manner OF pro
| ceeding sppears have simple enough. hayo
gained tolerably clear view Of the intent from the poe
session Of diary kept by one OF the early members
which fallen into my hands II only fonr years
after society formed at this College that find
the following entry made in this book:
June q, l7S6-In the afternoon was admitted with
Burgess and Cranch % the p b X Society IL IS estao-
hshed to promote friendship and literature in oi
the universities OF America" II thus appears that
union contemplated, OF a wider kind than had es.
sted before among the youthful sspraDts 10 advanced
knowledge this continent. The prosecution Of sp9-
chc line Of exercises TO have been az that tms
contemplated BY this diary would appear that
undergraduates selected from the Senior and Jn
nlor classes I'm the habit Of assembling fort
night the private Of each member in his turn,
10 listen 10 specific literary performance assigned 10
particular persons for that day To illustrate this,
take from diary following entries: "Augus,
49, I7s6-After prayers had meeting OF the T. b. X.
at Freeman and Lttles chamber Mr.. Ware presided,
u the absence OF Mr. Paine. Freeman read short dis
seration upon tho love OF neighbor; Little and
Packard forensic the question whether the present
scarcity of money the Commonwealth be advantage
Gus ~ It. Harris snd Andrews the extempora-
neous disputants." Whether in the discussion the
dlsputants had had recourse 10 the etsay OF
Adam 5nith which had been published In England ust
10 years before does not appear The fact Is certain
that topic at that moment could be moro interesting
for was period OF great pecunary distress One fort
night after the following record appears u September
1886: We had o meeting of the Z. b. X. Burgess
chamber. Bridge and Abbott read forensic tho
question, Whether internal tranquility De proof Of
prosperity In Republic, Freeman and the eXtempO-
raueous disputants" Again % November, 1885, Last
night the p b. X. met At Burgess chamber. Little and
CraAch read dissertations; Freeman and Packard, dis.
putaton upon the question whether good order pro-
NOTED more by the rewardng yirtue than by the pun
ishrnent OF vice. Mr. Ware Mr. Harris disputed ex-
tempore." From these extracts IL is made appear
plainly enough that th period the object of the
eatlon supplement tho ordinary Of college
training Riti voluntary series OF exercises In the i'm.
proyement OF dalectics To that end these youths
occupied thcmslyes each IN his turn in tho practice Of
treating questions OF pablo interest in two separate
ways The first that OF wrcn argument, the offspring
Of stuly research The second thas OF exemporano
| Gus dsputltiou. depending for It's force upon tho
discipline Dcqurcd by practice in drawing upon the
mind That there was growing great need Of
thus KIND OF preparation for active life clear
enough for the moment becoming critical outsds
Of the doors oi the college. While they discussing
the way In which good order TO be promoted there
was any amount of disorder prevailing almost within
stones throw which threatening the very founda-
uous OF society In this diary, two days prior TO
the discussion, Is the following entry: "Tbis evening"
jua before prayers, about 20 horsemen arrived hero
under the command of Judge Prescott OF Grotop, in
orle, 70 protect court tomorrow from the roterS