New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-15
HONORING OLD UNION.
THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OF THIS CITY
HAS ITS ANNUAL DINNER
REJOICING OVER THE BRIGHT PROSPECTS OF
THEIR ALMA MATER-sPEECHEs,
ToAsTs AND SONGS.

ight in Delmonicos over the revival of learn
ing, as one of the speakers called it, in their
Almcr Mater William II. McElroy, Of 90,
presided About $50 Of the men who owed
their larnn " TO Union, or who have kindly
feeling for her, were present
Among them were Chauncey B. Ripley, who
represented the University of Rochester; the Rev.
DR.. Charles D. Nott of Washington, n. D.; war
ner Miller, who is one of the trustees of the col
lege President Harrison T. Webster, and Pro-
fcssor William Wells, of Union Judge George
F. Danforth; John IL. Starin, trustee; General
Daniel Butterworth, the Rev DR.. William irwin,
Horatio f. Allen, the Rev. George W. Clark,
Charles Martin, William III. H. Moore, Naval
Officer Silas w Burt John M. Scribner +.
p Bellamy, Edward w. Van Vranken, Dr
J. X. Tryon, the Rev. Dr. Charles ii. Taylor,
Professor John II. Leggett; L. b. Fancher' OF
Yonkers; James n. Fiero, of Kingston; Byron
Horton, Henry S. Kearncy. George ~ Branureth,
Walter K. Benjamin, Talcott {. van SanNooru,
William B. Ranlxine, the Rev. Walter Scott FRO
fessor Alexis A. Julien, Edward Carey, DE- IL. ;.
Bates the Rev. DR.. S. b. Rossiter, benjamin u
Tbaycr. ALBION P Man, and Stephen V. h Cooper
MR. DEpEw SENDS LETTER
Chauncey NJ. Depew WAS one Of the invited
guests. and was expected TO make speech In
/ the following letter which WAS read by Mr.. McEroy
to much responsive laughter anu applause ne
explained why he could not come;
had a plaster OF Paris leg built for me yesterday
hv one Of the most eminent medical artists IN town.
over the which has done Ms service Tor ABOUT nan
a century, with the promise that IL Woul' cary '
safely TO and through the Union College alumni ahe''
and aftervard placed in the Metropolitan Museum Oh
Art as a model for the sculptors Of the future Aha'
leg has broken therefore prevented fon atiehu-
ing the Union banquet and American art mas suA-i''
irreparable loss
am very glad that the sons of Old Union ai'e'
playing for so many years the part OF the poaga ~"
in feeding upon the ordinary husks OF LIE, nave a'
last Joined Epicurean school 10 which tue aiui
Yale Harvard Columbia, Princeton, Williams am DaiV
mouth this city have become most earnest ui'cplo'
Hereafter the Union OF New-fork without losing
th, acueness and wisdom for which he Is justly amoaS
will exhibit the full and captivating appearance oi
metropolitan jocundty and rotundity
| As Regent Of the University Of the state OF New
York l have always taken deep interest and felt
oarioe pde in the Oldest and progressive child Of
| The Regents Union first college they char
tered this fact with her territorial posuon W INC
caital has always made her an especial care lof he
statutory educational authority Of the STATE As the
Regents back the nearly compiete1 century '
Unions existence, her magnificent educational WORK
during period the number Of men distinguished IL
every walk in life whom she has graduated ana ule
accumulated influences OF century the culture
wisdom and emil ghtened development OF the State, We
feel that this first OF Commonweaths must rank as
one Of the important factors in the development Oh
! its greatness, Union College at Schenectady
some years ago l attended your annual commencement
with the understanding that TO have no part III
The literary exercises arrived just before the vale
icory delivered, rushed upon the sage ana
, warmly welcomed by the president While was gasp
ing for account Of the speed with whch TWO
Of tie professors had hurled through the crowd inc
presi aent said The valedctory will take ten
minutes and at close will announce you to denver
the Grafton upon the bi-centennial OF TINS chufch IL
! which we are. ard within who's walls Union CoHese
was orranized. that it Will be virtually douoe
centennial Grafton" Aghast and paralyled humoy
/ INQUIRED how long it would take graduate OF Chon
College, had heard before Of the history or lie
or work OF the object whose double centenary was TO be
celebrated prepare polished and accurate grafton
which would satisfy Commencement audience. lie
replied that any Ole OF them could do IT IN fifteen
minutes Since then L have never ceased to regret
that 1 did graduate at Union College after ieit
Yale.
or all the devices which relieve strain and hurry
Of our busy city life lasting in their benefits
and inspiring in their results as these college dinners
nuny Of the graduates Of oil our colleges into one
great POSTGRADUATE American University and give 20
college, meetings Of its alumni add
tlona strength, enthusiasm ana power for good
Individually and representative Of Yale, 1 car
| daily and most heartily pledge Ola Union" in full
bumpers OF whatever beverage bbulous prohbory
graduates prefer.
OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATION CHOSEN.
Judge Hooper c. Van Worst was also
unw.llingly detained at home by SICK
ness The boys sent him a big
basket of flowers from the presidents table. Judge
Van Worst at the business meeting held before the
dinner, was elected president of the Alumni AsSo-
citation The other officers chosen were: wee
president, John Bigelow; secretary, Robert Z.
Alexander: treasurer. William b. Ranlline; eX-
ecu,ive committee. the Rev. John ID. Wells,
Frank LOOMS and William il. McElroy.
A. IL ,uaS tho celebration of the dawn OF new
and progressive era in the life of the college, her
sons sang with feeling and force the Song TO
Old Union written by +. ii. Ludlow, of sc:
Then here's TO thee the brave and free,
old Union smiling Ger us,
And for many day. as the walls grow gray,
May they ring with thy chdren's chorusi
WHY THE ALUMNI SHOULD REJOICE
Then Mr.. McElroy said that the one thing
that made him sad upon that joyous occasion
was the realization that the function of a pre-
siding officer was rot to talk, but merely TO be
the cause of talking in others He was loaded
with a speed warranted to last hour which
he longed 10 explode daughter Several
winters had elapsed since the alumni OF Union
had dined together During the interregnum
they had kept asking after the health of their
common mother with ill-cOncealed anxiety. They
knew she was immortal chcers, but they real
lied that temporarily she was not feeling first
rate. daughter How could they have an ap-
petite for the high jinks Of DemonIcos while
she was suffering from arrested vitality up there
at Schenectady? Cheers Tonight they met
with the glad assurance that she Is herself again
Loud cheers We had rallied to celebrate a
revival of learning in the old halls Bold BAD
men had characterized Union and some othar
institutions as fresh water colleges, but all
schools of medicine held that fresh water as a
steady beverage was more nourishing than the
other sort daughter and applause) No col
leqe in the country had done larger or better
work than Union cheers none had a greater
NUM- Der OF ilustrious names upon its alumni roll
tCheersj If the college is true to what is wor-
thiest in its past we need not worry about It's