New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-22
CITY COLLEGE GRADUATES
A DEFENCE OF HIGHER EDUCATION.


j. EDWARD SIMMONS, OF THE BOARD OF EpUcl.
TON, TALKS TO THE STUDENTS.
Tho graduating class Of the College Of the CITY m
NewYork received its diplomas last evening at tbs
Academy OF Music. Tho house was filed, and thu
class as It marched down the aisle with its banner
was greeted with applause On the stage were tho
college faculty and invited guests. President Alex.
ander s. Webb presided and beside him were seated J.
Edward Simmons, chairman Of the college trustees
and Mayor Hewitt. Among others present were
Trustees Devoe, Wood, Lummis, Holt. DR.. Hunter
Of the Normal College, Professor Driser. of Coluniba
and Judge Larrcmorc Plowdon Stevens ir., was tho
salutatoran Of the class Frederic E. Perham Albert
Kohn, Gustav r. Tuska and George Ferry salter
were the orators. The valedictortan Samuel W.
Dunscomb, tr, but he being excused the address was
read by C. A. Parmly. Mr.. Simmons made the adj
dress to the graduates, devoting It mainly 10 a de.
fence Of higher education He said in part:
AS students and graduates OF the City College you are
in an especial the wards Of this metropolis II
has watched your welfare; IL has spared nehes
pains nor expense to provide for you liberal education
In the fullest OF the word This education has been
bestowed you not as benefsction but because the
city thought it her right and her duty so 10 do.
IT, now, go lack to the teachings OF history. you
will remember that power is the heritage OF knowledge
that high place and distinction naturally TO the best
educated In oher times and other lands higher education
was reserved Tor the privileged classes but among the
law knows no distinction, countenances no privilege
What is palmer therefore7 II higher education be the
key to political influence. II must not permit the rss
OF privileged class, then higher education II mean Of
course, professional education) be placed "a
far possible, within the reach OF all Surely no ons
reads OF history with intelligent insight
who realizes fully the character Of govern.
men fail that higher education for all nsures
greater equality for all, and that 1t Is most effective
for Lerpetuatng the government Of the people By
the people
But after ALL the oncehoders are but fraction com.
pared with the public at large. They merely the
elected selected servants OF their elow-ctizens In
the theory OF the American Commonwealth, the policy Of
the Executive the enactments OF Legislatures tho
decisions Of Judges but expressions Of the win Of
the people. No matter who conceiyes the policy no
matter who devises the law frames the DECISIONS IL
from the people that they derive their binding force
people decide all questions raised by the tho
time by OF their statesmen. They decide
them not bllndy or by chance according to the die
Of favor OF caprice sefnterest, but according
their intrinsic merit With the loyal American citizen
everything must yield TO his coontry's welfare The
ideal American should be above all upright dlsIn.
terested patriot intelligent lover OF his country 10
IL right his duty decide the weghty and
momentous questions questions OF homo and foreign
policy; questions OF peace and war; questions OF finance
and political economy questions OF social right or wrong.
It is the problem OF the surplus tomorrow It may be
problem In international law which he must pronounce
judgment. How abstruse and how complicated these
questions is apparent. Even the most honest and
statesmen often disagree In their solutions; and
yet the wses statesmen and the most learned scholars
have no more their decision than the PLANES,
citizen. They each vote. But in repre-.
sentative system in Congress speaks for over
seventy thousand constituents and one Senator from New
York speaks for more than two millions OF people.
The heaviest viands often labelled with the mos
promising Names the most pencious doctrines set forth
in the attractive language. Demagogues will seek
to lead him astray by addressing his seineres enthu-
siastc cranks 10 blind him by fatering his passion aud
prejudice VIII any seriously maintain that ele-
mentary training alone will 1T the youthful citizen
thread way through OF this labyrinth Tbs
1 study the question OF free higher education the
more I convinced OF its wisdom Stamped with tbs
approval Of the past It IS indispensable 10 the present
Of power and OF wealth; IL is bulyark Of
the against the destructive doctrine OF misguided
IN fc tore a q
FAR and wide among the sovereign people IL is fore
that substitutes enlightened patriotism for blind sell
interest and unconscious slavery the seseekng dema
gogue it is the only means TO secure practically for the
son Of toll share only in the active, but also In tho
passive suffrage the only means TO realize the govern
ment Of the people by the people,
At the close Of the address the medals and prizes
were awarded to the graduates Morris Manages and
Louis Hicks received the degree Of Master Of Arts,
and Harold Nathan and Leopold Sondheim Master Of
Sciences The graduates
Bachelor OF Arts-J Barnett j. II. Bell A. E. Bleser,
W. B. Brouner NJ. Canes B. ]. Devlin L. f. Drummond.
S. w. Dunscomb jr.,F. L. Eckerson J. p Elder, H. c.
Hadden p A. Hating l. Hershfeld F. L. Jones' A.
Kohn. G. W. Leisersohn, f. Mandel, ]. D. Mitchell, T.
II. MITCHELL G. S. Potter, ir, N. B. Potter W. T. Ryan,
S. A. Stein and G. S. Stern.
Bachelor OF Sciences-H L. Bamman, G. F. Davies, A.
Erdman, c. Ericsson, G. W. Glaze. J. p. Haney, A. c.
Hottenroth, H. +. Huber, w. II. Jasper, II. III. Knox,
T.. H. Koehler, c. Koplik, A. d. Levy, L. Levy o.
Lownson, L. B. Marks E. Merz j. A. o'Connell E. F.
Palmer, c. ii. Parmly r. E. Perham, g. de ouesada NJ 5.
Rauch NJ Rosenberg j. A. Ryan G. F. salter II. schoen.
c. Schwick p Stevens, ir. G. X. Tuska and W. 9. Wie-
land.