The Portland daily press., 1895-06-26
But the Rain Did Not Dampen the
Class Day Ardor.
INTERESTING EXERCISES HELD IN
THE MEMORIAL BUILDING.
How the Seniors Marched in Cap and
Gown-Some Glass Statistics-Points
from the Observation-Disclosures
Alumni Present.
ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.1

brunswick, June 25.-lt takes more
than cloudy skies, mist and rain to
dampen the ardor of a college senior on
class day, and so the exercises of the day
here were great success, even if it was
too wet for the collegians, their admiring
parents and the pretty summer girls to
gather around the Thorndike Oak The
forenoon exercises were to be held in
Memorial hall any way, and SO the
weather then made little difference.
There was large attendance and the in
spring strains of the Salem Cadet band
added to their pleasant anticipations of
the days programme After the prayer
by Mr.. A. G. Axtell, M f. O. Small de-
livered the oration, an effort which held
the close attention of his auditors The
poem by Mr.. H. W. Thayer was one that
needed no apology even if delivered be-
fore class of the college where Long
fellow was educated and in the hall
where the bust of the poet looks down up
on the platform. This is an extract from
Mr.. Thayer's verse:
Today We meet, oh friends long tried.
The ties are severed now, and broken the
charm-wrought spell.
We longing look into one anothers' eye,
And sadly clasp our hands in long fare
we'll.
Unknown-yet each by golden chains is
To one of these, whose very life has grown
A part of mine--and trust faith has found
This lawless truth-the quenohless flight
which lies
Deep-hidden in the depths of tender eyes,
Is sure a sem blauce o. immortal life.
All are not here we love, a restless tide
At midnight bore their fragile barks
Till straining eyes across the ocean wide
Saw but gleam along the verge of day.
We only know they sailed somewhere be-
yond
Our sight, upon this world-deep boundless
Of Love which holds us all. and though
Lone heart may wild with grief and anguish
May toss upon it's way till all but spent;
Although its spray may dim our eyes. we
That there tits well with them, and rest
content.
After the forenoon exercises the visitors
wandered in and out of the college build
ings, looking anxiously as they passed
4AOlll OIO w OliO OUliCl dU Ol1O INV CI
clouds. 1t soon became evident that the
exercises could not be held around the
oak. Early in the afternoon the arrival of
a crew Of carpenters who began the re-
moyal of the stand ended any lingering
hope they might have felt. So at three
O'Clock the people once more gathered in
Memorial hall 1t was pretty sight
entered, marching slowly down the cen
tIal aisle to the music of the orchestra.
All wore cap and gown and Marshal L.
S. Dewey, who led the way, carried a big
cane gaily decorated with ribbons of the
class colors. At the platform, the students
divided and assembled the stairs on each
side still walking with the slow, swing
sldered especially appropriate for such an
occasion. Perhaps the reason is that it is
both graceful and impressive. President
+. l.. Fessenden presided and announced
first the opening address by Mr.. II. E.
Holmes, who spoke of the additional obli-
cations and duties placed upon college
bred men by the exceptional advantages
ferred to the fact that no Bowdoin man
had been converted to the pernicious
doctrine Of the A. P. A, he was warmly
applauded The class history by Mr.. C.
S. Christie and the prophecy by Mr.. J.
W. Crawford caused good deal of meri-
ment among the class and a good deal,
too, among the audience when they We're
able to grasp the meaning of the allusions.
The young man who came back to
Bowdoin in 1915 after making a fortune
| in the sand business, amused everybody
He went to Cape Cod and from there
shipped sand to both sides in the great
European war, and retailed it to football
players, in the days when the game was
so rough that forts had to be constructed
for the protection of the spectators. In
fact he supplied so many fighting men
with sand that he raised much dust for
himself Many other wonderful things,
Mr.. Crawford told about his classmates,
among their achievements being the
capture of the sea serpent and the dis
covery of the North pole. The class
statistics which were read after the
history, showed the average age to be
twenty three years, five months The
Oldest man is thirty-two, the youngest
nineteen They weigh on an average 14e
pounds, but the heaviest man tips the
scales at 202, while the lightest registers
only SO. Thirty four are Republicans,
fourteen Democrats and four 1ndepend-
ent. There are no Prohibitionists
POLITICALLY considered) statement which
some of the audience apIlauded. A
n, ioritv of tho c1acc inland to Studv Jaxr