Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-10
STANLEY AT OXFORD.
A Glory Hallelujah Time When the
Explorer Was Made q Doctor.
AN EYEWITNESS DESCRIPTION.
The Students Made Themselves Heard
Though the Speakers Didn't.
SOME OF THE LIVELY INTERRUPTIONS
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH. /,

Mr., Stanley Is Doctor Stanley now. Ven-
erable Oxford conferred the degree Of D. G.
L., honoris causa, upon six men this year,
two of whom were Americans-Pro rof. Will
lam Watson Goodwin, LII. D., of Harvard,
and Henry NJ Stanley, Esq, Of Brush Col
lege, Africa. There were many lord bish-
ops and men of great learning at this COM
memoration, but the star OF the occasion
was the American explorer and newspaper
man who knew less of books than anyone
there, but more of men. The bronzed CAM
paigner, as saw him on this memorable
occasion, looked oddly enough in his
academic black gown and red cape. and
seemed much amused at the scene Of which
he found himself the center. Indeed one
of the jokes most heartily enjoyed by every
body was when an undergraduate yelled out
in a shocked voice while he was receiving
his degree and being addressed in ponderous
Latin polysyllables: Now Stanley, you're
laughing; you know you areP'
The students seemed to enjoy the occasion
better than any since the Autocrat OF the
Breakfast Table was doctored. Their en-
thusiasm was wild and recklessly expressed.
When Mr.. Stanley entered the building
they received him with cheers and bravos
so long continued that they absolutely
drowned out all the opening speeches. So
also when he was taken forward to be intro
duced to the Vice Chancellor, the only thing
could hear was the voice of student roar
ing from the upper gallery: "Mr. Stanley,
allow me" e.
OVERLOOKING COLLEGE SPIRIT.
The collegians seem to have it all their
own way in this great university. Before
the "Doms" appeared there was an uproar
equal to any I ever heard in the Pittsburg
Oil Exchange. When any well known per-
son would arrive they would make the roof
shake with their applause or groans and
Kisses. They were very frank in the ex-
preston of their opinions. A lady with
peculiar fan and another with pink bonnet
were laughed at until they were glad to dis
pose of the offending articles, while for half
an hour it seemed as If 200 arms were swing
ing in the air and 100 throats were bawling
at a distinguished scholar who stood near to
me: "Take off that tie, sir! Off with that
yellow tie, sir!'
Mr.. Stanley was not made an exception to
the general rule. When he entered the
Sheldonian he met with the deprecating re-
mark from the top gallery: "Mr. Stanley,
you're sunburntl"
A fair impression of how things went for
an hour and half can be had from the fol-
lowing nearly verbatim report of the
speeches as heard them:
Queritur de cultu deorum-Speak up
nowl That's better. sir!-Quorum dicitur-
That's not true! Mr.. Stanley. give us
Latin oration!-L1lnd n1ontes-Nonsense!
Speech! speech! speech from StanleyEHunc
Hippocrates-Huncl Hip, hip, hurrah!
Three cheers for Stanley!-Honoris naIimi
No doubt! Put the question now! Times
up, the buttery closes at Q o'clockl
And so it went.
QUICKLY CALLED DOWN.
It was the worst place in the world for
the display Of scholarship or elocutionary
ability. When one speaker ventured to
quote some learned authorities he was
squelched with the remark: "What cy-
clopediar' When one man recited line
of his poem in a pathetic manner he was
sorry for it the next minute, Tor all over the
house arose the sympathetic response: "Ohl
Oil DON'T cryl What is it that's hurt
ing you, sir? Booi hooi Boohool'
When the public orator, who had been
selected for his position because of his celeb
rity as a scholar, mispronounced Latin
WOfu, CAdCtlI IL hno bOuc VI
voice which a professor uses to mlschiev-
ous student who has just failed as usual in
his recitation, he was told: 'That will do.
sir! You may sit DOWN.
When the organ played more softly than
usual an audacious youth suggested: "Now
is his time. Will Mr.. Stanley oblige us
with song?"
STANLEY SAID NOT A WORD.
In the very middle of one of the best ad-
dresses, as the orator was rolling of his
most impressive periods, some scapegrace
shouted: "Three cheers for the ladies-Hip,
hipi Hurrahi Now three cheers for the
queen-Hip, hipl HurrahP'
For many minutes together we could see
the lips of the orators moving, but could
not hear word that was being said.
Mr.. Stanley did not say word. When
in the chief oration of the day he heard the
word "Exploratio Africanas" and caught
the idea that he was being extolled, he
hung his head and blushed. Most of the
time, however, smile rested ON his lips,
from the moment when he was led up to re-
ceive his degree amid vociferations of en-
couragement, "Oni Stanley Onp' to the
moment when he was escorted from the hall,
while every student and visitor tried to
shout applause louder than his neighbor.
REV c. M COBuRN