Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-07-04
COMMENCEMENT PROCEEDINGS.
[ Continued from first page.
TUESDAY-AlUMNi DAY.
PRELIMINARY MEETING OF THE AssOCI-
ATED ALUMNI.

President w. f. Howard, II, presided
at the preliminary meeting of the alumni
at the college chapel at 10 a. m, Tues
day. On motion of II. 5. Perrigo, 20,
of Potsdam, n. Y, committee on nom
nations was appointed. 1t consisted of
Mr.. Perrgo, A. f. lIigley, '6S, of Ben
son, and j. II. Vorce, '65, of Essex, Conn.
President Howard spoke of the general
catalogue. Hon. L. b. Sherman, 60, of
Chicago, moved vote of thanks, which
was carried, to the compilers of the cata-
logue for their successful accomplish
ment of an arduous task. Mr.. Sherman
also suggested that the alumni aid the
college in bearing the expense. The
meeting then adjourned
THE ALUMNI CELEBRATION.
A much larger number than usual at
tended the celebration of the alumni as
ISOLATION at the Congregational church
at II o'clock. Hon. Walter f. Howard,
20. president of the association, had
charge Of the exercises. The others hav-
ing seats on the platform were the speak
or, Rev. 5. l.. Blake. Rev. DR.. II. p. Hig
ley and Col. +. NJ. Chapman, the mar
shall. The Howard Opera House orches-
ira of Burlington furnished the best of
music for the occasion. After they had
rendered selection Rev. S. l.. Blake of
New London, Conn, class of 80, offered
prayer The speaker, Rey. Richard 5.
Holmes of Pittsburg, Pa, class of 90,
was Introduced. He spoke entertain
ingly, clearly. ably and well on the top
ic, 1.-The College Graduate as Civil and
Social Unit" An abstract of his remarks
follows:
The speaker began with an allusion to
his graduating Grafton of % years ago,
the topic of which was Life and EXis-
tence'. and, continuing said, in substance:
To what end shall the college-bred man
direct his life forces? Certainly rot tow
ard himself, not toward politics or
affairs, but toward his objective in
fluence. Three ends are held out by the
civil and social forces of life for young
men: First, the requirement of fortune;
second, the possessment of education,
and. third. the development of character.
The question we propose is, Shall the
college man as Il civil and social unit
spend his life force in directing men tow
ard the first, the second or the third of
these! 1t is sometimes charged that the
influence of college men is not felt in the
world of commerce and affairs, and that
the process which makes him a college
man necessarily units him for practical
stata of fan nni mo- nf
these charges is true. The author of the
famous pamphlet, slow to Win a For
tune, says that young men in college
spend time in study which those not col
lege-bred devote to business, so that the
practical effect is that the former are dis
tanced in the race of life. But the life
history of the eminent author of this
pamphlet shows that he appreciates the
benefits of the education denied to him in
his youth: for, having made for himself II
place in the world, he is now seek
ing by the aid of the best procur-
able instructors to fit himself for
worthily filling that place. Growth
is slow. The nobler the destiny the
longer the road. The processes of
growth are many. There is, first, that
by addition at vital points, the economic
method, resulting in fortune, wealth, in
tluence and regulations; second, the
method Of advance along essential
courses, the method of the yacht in the
race. the method which elongates edu-
Gates; and, third there is the method by
stimulation in the realm of thought on
things pertaining to destiny and respon-
sbility. The latter is the method which
deals with the mind and the spirit-whch
stands in the eternity we call the present,
looks back to the eternity out of which it
came, forward into the eternity into
which it goes, and cries with exultation
of all things which have been or shall be
in the vast infinite which is the universe,
There are but two ethical verities, and
am one and God is one. The outcome of
this method is character. Here, then, is
our question, In favor of which of these
shall the college man use his influence
| answer, without hesitation, not toward
fortune as LIES ultimate end, nor toward
the pOssessment of AN education. a
sharp distinction is to be drawn between
the popular and the true idea of educa-
ton. The first notion of it is of COM
mercial thing, to be bought and have
money value-but even this is higher
end than fortune. The commercial view
of education is that of a man whose eyes
are fastened to his feet; his arc has q
radius no greater than his stature. The
opposing view is that of man whose
eyes are fastened on the stars; his arc
has for its radius the infinite depths OF
the universe. 1t may be asserted without
fear of possible criticism that the influ
ence of the college man as a civil and so
cial unit should be toward character
The value of education in the making OF
character is unquestionable and should
, not be underestimate. The force which
the world needs today of the educated
man is that which shall cause every MAI
to understand that he is personality,
power, a cause, not an eflect-not a thins
formed by heredity and environment, bu
man IN Gods image, the ruler o
things, the controller of heredity and en-
vironment.
Music came after the address. Mr.
Howard announced that the poet, Rev
DR.. f. p. Wild of Manchester, class of go
was unable to be present on account o
90; L. h.,