The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-30

again. And still you will prize it as a card of
admission to the noblest body of men and
women in the world, the band of Collegiate
Alumni. All this is now yours. Lay the di-
ploma away now with the best of your youth
full treasures To-day you take your place in
the world of men. You have reached your ma
jority. One by one, you have passed the goals
your teachers have set for you. The goals of
the future must be of your own choosing. 1t
is yours now to think, and therefore to act for
yourselves. This you can surely do. 1t will
be no new experience. Your training in the
past has been such, we trust, that the new free
dom will be new in name only. 1t will come
to you with no shock of surprise, for In free
dom you have been trained for freedom.
You of the class of 1895 have occupied g.
unique position toward this university. You
were the frst-the band of pioneers. 1t has
been yours to lead, never to follow. Those
who in future years are drawn to these halls
may weigh and compare, balance privilege
with privilege, opportunity with opportunity /;
their choice will be governed by influences
which in part have come out from you. They
viii measure the future by the past. For you
there was no past. You trusted the forces the
university seemed to represent. You have
given your best years OF training to this insti-
tuition when it had no record of achievement,
no wealth of tradition. You have been uni
versity-makers. The highest value of tradition
lies in the making of it; the noblest wealth is
the wealth of promise. 1t is the place of the
pioneer to make for the future, not to share in
the past.
Our university has no history to fall back
upon; no memories of great teachers haunt its
corridors; in none of its rooms appear the
traces which show where a great man has ever
lived or worked No tender associations cling,
ivy-like, to its fresh new walls. 1t is hallowed
by no traditions; 1t is hampered by none. Its
finger post still points forward. Traditions
and associations it is ours to make. From our
work the future of the university will grow as
q splendid lily from modest bolb.
But the future with its glories and RESPONSE
bilities will be in other hands. 1t is ours at
the beginning to give the university its form,
its tendencies, its customs. The power of pre-
cedent will cause to be repeated over and over
again everything that we do-our errors as well
as our wisdom. 1t becomes us then to begin
the work modestly, as under the eye of the
coming ages. We must lay the foundation
broad and firm to give full support to
whatever edifice the future may build.
In concluding DR.. Jordan said:
To the care and culture of men and women
this university has been dedicated. AS l said
to you when we came together SO say to you
again:
The golden age of California begins when its
gold is used for purposes like this. From such
deeds must rise the new California of the COM
ing century, no longer the California of the
gold-seeker and the adventurer, but the abode
of high-minded men and women, trained in
the wisdom of the ages and imbued with the
love of nature, the love of man and the love of
God. And bright indeed will be the future of
our State if, in the usefulness of the university,
every hope and prayer of the founders shall be
realized.