New-York tribune., 1874-06-22
sEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE RENSSELAER,
INSTITUTE,

RIFIIRTH ANNIVERSARY AND COMMENCEMENT EXER-
CIsEs-A MONUMENT To THE MEMORY OF THE
FIRST SENIOR RoFEssOR-GRADUATIoN CERE-
MONIES.
lYRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNEl
Troy, n. Y, June 19.-lhe semi-centennial
and Commencement exercises of the Polytechnic Ins
tute here closed night For over year the faculty
anc alumni have been active in making preparations for
this event. several thousand dollars having been
pended making repairs aud improvements on the
buildings, and a large amount also in erecting a monu
neut TO the memory Of Amos Eaton, the first senior
Professor OF the Institute. The exercises began last
sunday evening with baccalaureate sermon by the
Rev G. " webber, D. D.; his theme being "The Rela-
tion of Science TO Religion" On Monday and Tuesday
the members OF the graduating class read as their
theses reviews various engineering structures. The
class OF "a smallest since 1864 having but IL mem
bers while the is about 90 Five Of this class
were dropped last February when the standard Of
scholarship was raised The following are the names Of
tbe graduates with the subjects of their theses:
James N CsaHe jr Carh.se obiO Mo1omoytLght House
& S" sns,sa. T. Meihois Of Coasruag Founososs in
WIN Fa.S a 6 FSTs M !S9T w wo4s rSs" AI f.i'
Ge, Piadelphs Pepn Floating Derrick Of the Department
over ., VIM Mason SexYcit Breo
u w:tI we; Hr r'Ss ssSso aoy Lsonc1. saa Ts fs
be zegsrs Piura Peru VsHasa' VdHe' on the Lima
On Tuesday afternoon a meeting OF the alumni
held iu Institute Hall. After trausactng some unim-
ortant business they adjourned with their friends TO
Oakwood Cemetery to dedicate the monument recently
erected to memory OF Prof Eaton. Addresses
delivered by Prof Hail. the Hon. NJ l. Townsend and
Prot. Mason. A memorial window to Prof. Eaton has
also been placed In the Institute. also memorial win
dows 10 the alumni who fell IN the war for the Union
On Tuesday evening meeting of the alumni aud stu
Mas and Henry Sedley. both graduates OF the inst
snte prof HorsfOrd's subject was America at the
Vienna Exposition" and Mr. Sedley's The Engineer
vi Dorado" AT the close OF this meeting a grand
csption was gwen by the Mayor OF the city TO the
aLnmul and students. The alumni met again on
Wednesday morning. and in the afternoon had grand
dinner at Harmony Hall. The number OF alumni here
Las been large and tney all evince lively interest Ia
the sf.irs ana prosperity OF the Institute IL Ia esti-
mated that nearly 800 graduates living many
of whom occupy high positions IN the engineering pro
fessou and there scarcely engineering undertak
sng without "a representative from the insttute-.ne
Penpsylyapa Railroad alone employing nineteen
Wednesday evening the graduating exercises took
place Rands Hall. The programme consisted OF sew
era tne selections OF music the report OF the Acaaenc
Board the conferrng OF the degree OF Civi Eufneef
upon the above named graduates aud an ADDRESS b the
President OF the Institute the Hon James fofsyth MT
Forsyth his address, history OF the instute
since It's foundation ffty the reasons Tor s
popularity ts future aims. and s determination u TO
9ard OF scholarship the part OF It's
rrsduates He stated that they gave course OF study
6cstons WAS equal TO- If IL did excel that given Ut
West Point.