Huntsville gazette., 1889-03-09
FEW. PREDECESSORS
Graduates of the Only COIored
Dental School in America.

| The Nashville DAILY American Of
Feb. %, gives column and ha f
to the recent Meharry Commence,
ment Exercises in that city from
which we clip the following:
The commencement exercises Of
the Meharry Medical Department,
and the Dental Department. of Cen
tral Tennessee College. were held at
Masonic Theatre st night. The
exercises marked the thiteenth an
niversary of the Medical Department
and the third of the Dental. This is
the only colored Dental school in the
United States and the Medical Col
lege is one Of two in the country.
The house was packed to overfowing,
many having to stand.
DIR, R. 0. TUCKER
delivered the faculty address to the
graduating class of the medical de-
partment. His remarks were well
timed and received with evidences of
approval. In conc uding he said:
You have chosen not only re-
sponsible but under the most PROPS
tious rcumstancCs, profession tina
enslaves: you will learn to have no
pleasure when duty calls, to know no
night or day; you will learn what it
is to have best hopes blasted, by care
les ness. and SON. times obstinacy of
patients, or by the misohievous words
Of some busy body, W Sc in his or her
conceit, bold with ignorance and pre-
tence. You will feel that bitter
pang which every honest physician
has felt when the last remedy availth
nothing, and we stand disarmed,
smoothing the pillow Of the dying,
while the anxious eyes Of the friends
speak louder than rds. But with
all this you will have the pleasure Of
knowing thay you are entering upon
one of the most noble professions
known to ancient or modern times.
ltdorigin is lost in antiquity and there
is no missing link in the succession.
1t there is any aristocracy in age
then we are the aristocrats.
The age, the $ anding and the res
pectability of our profession accounts
for the many miserable counterfeits
upon it at this day. You owe it to
yourselves to be upright, honest and
moral; to be not lu zewarm and half-
hearted in your profession, to follow
after no false gods either for po icy
or pelf. To be close students, to
keep posted in everything that will
advance you in knowledge and effic-
iency in your profession, not to CON
denim unheard. but censure all hum
buggery, quackery and dishonesty in
the profession.
| The pass words Of the disciples of
Esculapius are and ever have been,
"no secrecy, no humbuggery, no
patents" in regard to what may be
necessary to alleviate suffering hui
manity. In consequence we have no
''royal road to eminence." We have
but little money, but sub treasury
of glory upon which we may present
sight drafts ad libitum, and will al
ways find them honored +"
DIR. r. F. BOYD
delivered the faculty address to the
dental graduates. He spoke for
about half an was heard with atten-
ton and frequent evidences of ap~
proval. Among other things he
said:
If you apply yourselves you can
send your names sounding down the
ages as benefactors of mankind. The
opportunity is before you, seze it.
Be kind and obliging to other mem
bers Of the profession. Obey every
rule of the code of ethics and you will
have the respect of all honorable
dentists. Be kind to and deal ten.
derly with the women and children,
for the greater part of your work
will be among them, and just in pro,
portion as you win their favor YOU
will gain patrons. You are expecs
ted to take an interest in the man.
agement of the Government both
national and local. This all good
citizens should do; but you cannot