The Portland daily press., 1885-01-23
BoWDoIN ALUMNI.
The New York Asso ciation's An.
nuaI Dinner.
DR.. Newman Smyth on the Late Pro-
fessOr Packard.

NEW YORK, Jan. 22.-Forty members Of the
Bowdoin College Alumni Association sat down
under an electric light chandelier in room of
the Murray Hill Hotel last evening. They
were there to eat their annual dinner and to
revive old memories of the college on the
banks OF the Androscoggin, the alma mater of
Longfellow, Hawthorne and host of useful
men in all departments OF learning. At the
head Of the long table presided DIR. Fordyce
Barker, of 81, who, as he himself acknowl-
edged, had been taken for a railroad king,
Colonel Scott; great editor, Thurlow Weed
and lately in Brunswick during the COM
mencement season was salated by the name
OF worthy Congregational minister. Though
the doctor did not have his diplomas with
him he was greeted with fraternal fervor by
his College friends. On his left sat the dean of
the faculty and acting president, DR.. Chap
man, rugged, earnest man, under whose ad-
ministration the college has grown and pros
pered; Dexter A. Hawkins, of '4S; Gen. Thos.
III. Hubbard, of 81; James McKeen, OF ga;
@. E. Soule, of AZ, occupied neighboring
seats. Prof. William A. Packard and Prof.
Cyrus Brackett OF Princeton, came in late,
but received seats. The Rev. D. G. Weston,
OF a. the oldest graduate present, beamed
'6S who is young bat whose fame has already
passed the boundary of Connecticut.
When speeches we've in order DIR. Barker
made felicitous one, paying feeling tribute
to the late Professor Packard who, he said,
was always gentlemen and an ideal instruct
or. To the toast of "The College, DR.. Chap
man responded, urging the claims of the insti-
tuition upon the graduates and directing spec
ial attention to the success which had attend
ed the experiment OF self-government by the
jury system among the undergraduates. He
believed that stadents could govern them
selves better than they could be governed, and
claimed for the college which he administered
in the absence of a president, broad and lib
eral educational policy thoroughly abreast of
the times. He spoke of the needs of the col
lege, the chief wants being new gymnasi-
um and library and larger beneficiary fund.
DIR. Smyth read eulogy upon the life and
services at Bowdoin OF Professor Packard He
said in part:
This man was the last bond between the
present and the past in the history of Bowdoin
College. de had been spared for many years to
keep present in our minds the age of sacrifice
OF devotion, and of power in the history of our
alma mater. THESE men Of whom he vas the
last gave themselves wholly to the college and
the church. They considered nothing human
foreign to them. They loved their fellow-men
and counted it all joy to live and die for them.
They looked upon the office of college pro-
lessor as high and sacred calling. They
were Jealous of its dignity They could rot be
tempted by earthly rewards from its duties.
They believed not merely in teaching students,
but in educating men. They had no ambitions
beyond their work, and no hope of reward be-
You'd the good which they wrought. Oar
country owes its character largely to such
faithfal and self-denying men, The lines of
their influence have gone forth everywhere
through our broad territory. TIE old passes
and the new era comes. But with all our
gains IN the means and appliances of educa-
lion, all the expansion of the domain of human
knowledge IL would be fatal loss to our col
lege should the spirit of those men pass from
the seats of learning. and an age of learned and
CRITICAL professionalism, follow the age of sim
cere, whole-souled and consecrated manhood in
our colleges and universities
Speeches were made by W. j. Curtis, Pro-
fessor Brackett and General Hubbard.
The election of officers resulted in the choice
OF Edward w. Merrill, president; Rev, New.
man Smyth, Charles Washburn, Abram
Goodwin, and u. A. Easton, vice presidents;
William j. Curtis, treasurer; T. r. Upton,
secretary; William A. Abbott, corresponding
secretary; executive committee for 1885, Judge
Granville B. Hawes, Dexter A. Hawkins
Charles E. Souls, William s. bennett and
Charles A. Robbins