Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1875-07-03
Dartmouth COikeOs.
IIANovER, June 20.

The event of the year--COm-
mcncement week.-Mrs. come anu
gone. The students have left, the
college buildings are all closed, and
Hanover will present almost the ap'
prarance of q ''descrted village" I'M.
I'll the term begins again in Septem'
Der. Although there were no rery
celebrated names on the programme
for the week, the commencement
exercises were very interesting and
well attended. The Grafton before
The Phi Beta Kappa society Wed.
ncsday, was delivered by ex Sena
tor Patterson, his theme, the mis-.
sion of the American Scholar. The
address, finished and eloquent, was
received with deep attention by the
Society aud large audience. One
or two sentences will show the DRIFT
of the discourse. sour govern
ment is the embodiment Of an idea;
the persons comprising it should
cl .arly understand it. That u self
governing people should know the
reach aud limitation of the elemen.
tary truths Of the political system
under which they live, is essential
but this is not all that is necessary
to the safety Of the republic-they
must also understand the principles
OF practical morality, and be able
to apply them to new questions as
they arise III society and business.
The absolute guarantee to the libcr
ties and prosperity of free govern
ment is an intelliaent and virtu
Gus people. Both the constitution
and the decalogue must be written
upon and practiced in the daily life
of the natiol. The spirit of law
and religion infused through the
mighty mass of the republic will en-
large it's ferver, purify its life and
pcrpetuate it's eXlstahce. This is
the invisible cohesion, light as air.
yet strong as links of iron, by which
our Heterogeneous population are to
be hefd in one harmonious whole"
The ex-senator summed up the
popular arguments against scholar
ship and showed that ":he diSci,
plineG and scholarly intellects are
the master spirits, the broadcast and
most executive men in every phase
and period of time. lie spoke OF
the alters of learning at which the
genius of Greece was Kinuied; the
creation of Rome which shook the
world, the schools of Paris, Sala
manca and Bologna which in the
18th and 18th centuries furnis shed
the light that spread over Europe,
England marsllaled her great forces
al Oxford and Cambridge and the
closing century of our American re-
public shows that the men who
have appeared most aud chief in
literature, craftsmanship and collos-
sal business enter prise have been
those whose names arc found on
the illumined rolls of our schools of
learning. In the long run he who
thinks best, is more practical than
he who fights best"
After the Grafton, came the PO-
EN- by Geo. NJ. Marden, editor Of
the Lowell Courier, and a graduate
OF Dartmouth in the class OF 1862.
II took for his subject the motto of
the Society, 'Philosophy the Guide
OF Life" or the true Interpretation
of that motto which he thus defined
,,She argues not the tenets OF a school,
Electicisn is the safer rule,
Goose like tho bee from every blossom fair
The savory sweets that may be hidden there,
Philosophers of every school shall be
The ba sis of our broad Philosophy"
The poem embrased a vivid DIES Grip
ton of the ambition of a youthful
ST udent as well as he liar phas-
eS of academic ard college life, with
not a little humor and sound practi
cal advice. The sum and end of
the whole was thus put:
"And finally whatc'er your calling be-
Tiller of soil or tOilcr of the sea.
Healer of bodies, comforter Of souls,
Master or servant, mental or high born,
Your level hest do shamnimg always
scorn.
Make this Philosophy your guide;
To do your duty, let what will bctidc.
So in true progress you shall never stop
For every calling has room at the top
And he who climbs with II persistent will
Shall gain at last the summit of the hill >
The annual alumni meeting in
the afternoon and concert in the
evening closed the exercises for
Wednesday.
Thursday is Commencement day
proper when the graduates speak,
and the degrees are conferred. The
President of the College always pre-
sides, dressed in Oxford cap and
gown. The speaking this year was
good. "A dissertation.
'Ihe Reign of Prose Fiction" by
Frank s.. Black, of Limerick, Ne.
and u discussion. on ''rhc PossiDili-
ty of am Independent Press,' by
Putney of Bow, \. II. and Stewart
of Clarendon, Vt. drew especial at
tentiOp. The Valrdictory by G. ~.
Prouty of Newport, VI, was very
appropriate and we'll delivered. AT
ter the speaking. degrees were con-
f.rrpl hy prnei.1ont Smith 40 fnl