The Portland daily press., 1875-07-08
Bowdoin Commencement.
Glass of '25 and its Exercises-Alunini
Meeting, etc.
BRUNSWICK. july 7

| BRUNSWICK, July q.
The Boards met at o'clock, President j. l.
Chamberlain in the chair of the trustees, and
Hon, S. p. Benson presiding at the Board of
| Overseers. 1t was voted to accept the Buxton
| scholarship for $500; also that professors be
elected for three years unless specially ordered
| otherwise; also to accept the scholarship fund
| from the estate of Andrew Dennison.
| The resignation of Chas A. White, Professor
of Natural History, was received and accept
| ed.
DIR. b. G. Wilder was elected Professor CT
| Physics in the Medical College. Ira P. Booker,
Esq, was elected secretary of the Board of
Overseers. Frederick X. Smyth was elected
tutor in mathematics and teacher in the gym.
nasum at salary of $1,000. Prof S. j. Young
was elected treasurer for three years. Prof.
| HI. G. Carmichael was elected Josiah Little
| Professor of Natural History.
| The cabinet OF minerals and fossils from
| Mrs. Margaret Allen of Elton, were gratefully
accepted
The thanks of tho Board were rendered to
Prof. S. j. Young for the able, faithful and
| gratuituous discharge of the duties of the
| treasurer's office during the past year. The
treasurer reported that $4,000 had been paid
| in towards the permanent endowment of the
college. The income of the college is $50, $780,
| 65. 1t has no debt.
To-day, to the outside world at least, is the
most interesting day of the week. for the par
Elephants in its exercises are not beardless boys
unknown to fame, but gray bearded men whose
| names and worldwide regulations have be-
come the nations boast. To-day Bowdoin's
| historic class-the famous class of 1S25-cele-
brate the semi-centennial with the regular
annual gathering and reunion of the alumni.
The day opened obviously amidst heavy SHOW
ers but before noon the skies cleared, giving us
a cool and beautiful afternoon for the exercises
at the church.
| The class of 1925 is the most remarkable
class Bowdoin ever sent out, and no college in
the country can boast of its superior. 1t con-
sisted of thirty-four at graduation, of whom
thirteen are now living and twelve present to-
day.
The following is the commencement pro.
| gramme at the graduation of the class:
Salutatory Grafton iu Latin. ...... Us Benson
| Conference.-The comparative influence of Wealth
Education and Natural Disposition in promoting
Richmond Bradford Bradford. VIM Hale, Cullen sawtelle
III,
| Cyrus II. Coolidge
Conference.-The Writings Of Byron, Scott and Irv-
John C Abbott John Kinsman, Seward Wyman
| Dissertation-H X White. ........ Edward j Vose
Dissertation and Influence Of the Druids,
| Thomas Aver
Poem-The Hour of Parting. .......... Fred Mellen
ColloquyaProbable result Of efforts for Emancipa,
Dscussion-The Civil Liberties enjoyed by the citi-
| zens of Athens. .Hezekiah Packard
M Jenkins Eyeleth
| in Greece and South America Literature and
Liberty George Cheever, George w Pierce
0rationmNatlye writer's Longfeow
ings on morals,
n...,.... ~ Jonathan Ciley, Nathaniel Dunn
Oration-The probable Progress of Society.
Forensic Disputation- whether the safety of our Gov
eminent is endangered by extent of territory,
Philosophical Dispositions
Valedictory Oration-The Influence of government
assigned to Gorham Deane, deceased.
Rev. J. S. G, Abbott, the class historian,
furnishes the following interesting facts in re-
| gard to the members of the class: The most
popular man was Jonathan Ciley, who, after
a short and brilliant political career, fell in
duel aG Washington, while member of Con-
gress. Josiah S. Little, founder of natural
history in the college, was the bestischolar, and
valadictorian. Hawthorne was shy, quiet
fellow, taking little pleasure in bosterous jol-
lily, but preferring the quiet social gathe ring
where he ever shone prominent. He even
then gave evidence of his strange genius, and
was regarded as superior writer. He and
Frank Pierce of the class of "a were great
friends, and continued SO during life. They
were often seen strollng down the campus arm
in arm.
Mr.. Abbott gives this incident of Longfellow
and himself: They fitted together at Portland
While at school they agreed to each write
poem and submit it to the others critici m.
The productions were written and the issue of
this trial of skill effectually blighted his own
poetic genius and discouraged him from any
further attempts in that direction. Longfellow
was then but fourteen.
The alnmni exercises have always been of
small interest to the public and poorly attend
ed, but to-day, although the exercises did not
begin till half past three, the church was
crowded at two. There was larger gathering
of alumni than at any previous year.
The procession formed at the chapel at 3
o'clock, Prof. q. H. Moore acting as marshal,
Speaker Blaine, Gov. Dingley, Prof Packard
and the class of 1925 hal seats upon the plat
form. Prof. Egbert G. Smyth of Andover
President of tie Alumni Association, very ap-
propriately and gracefully introduced the
heroes of the week. Prayer was offered by
Rev. John S. G. Abbott. Longfellow, the lion
of the occasion, was received with long con.
tinuei applause. His subject was, mos Nor
ituri Salutamus." eve about to die salute you. J
The delivery though low was mellfluous and
delighted those who were fortunately within
range of his voice.
The poem will be published by the Harpers',
who have secured the copyright.
| The Grafton by Geo. B. Cheever, d. D.. fol.
| lowed. The following is brief abstract of his
most talented effort:
After 80 years of our own experience and our
| study of all past generations, as we scould, we
| propose few thoughts on the argument deriv-
| ed from six thousand years, for the unalterable
| union ut science and religion in the education
| Of the human mind. A work which all civil
| lied governments are undertaking ought to
have some fixed principles. These six thousand
years have demonstrated these principles, and
| our education in Gods experimental university
has fitted the present age for the spread of or
| gaDizing and regenerating truth throughout
| the world. These six thousand years are very
| likely but the entrance upon three hundred and
sxty-five thousand of benevolent activity one
of mans days being taken for thousand of
| Gods years. it we're so in the creation even
of the schoolhouse for mans childhood, how
much more in the work of redemption for
mans majority!
| And therefore manifest divine necessity for
| the elements of vastness and certainty in the
structure of q revelation for such boundless
succession of cycles and generations. For the
| Bible itself as the Word of God must be the
master of all ages and its lnfalliple spirit must
be the inspiration, both of science and religion ;
so that science and religion are Simply the wit
nesses, but not the judge of divine TRUTH Of
which, indeed, God himself, but neither scie nee
nor religion, is the author and source. Between
| science and the Bible there is no more conflict
than between Newtons Principles and his own
mind; there can be none, more than between
the earth and the heavens, or the moon and
| the sun.