Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-16

D.. to the presidency. DR.. Whitman was
bern in Wilmot, Nova Scotia, November 81
1862. After graduating from the Worcester
Academy in 1883. he entered Brown Univer-
sity, from which he graduated in 1887. with
the degree of A. B.. receiving his A. NJ. from
the same institution three years later. In
1880 he graduated from the Newton Theo-
logical Institution. The same year he be-
came pastor of the Free Street Baptist
Church in Portland. This important pastor
ate he resigned in 1892 to accept the presi-
ency of Colby University. He received the
degree of D. D. from Bowdoin College in
1894. AS president of Colby University, DR..
Whitman attracted wide attention as an
educator, public speaker and administrative
officer.
1t was fitting that on the occasion of the
Inauguration Of such man representatives
of two other famous institutions should be
present to bid him welcome to his new field
of wider usefulness. They We're Rev. Au-
gustus H. Strong, d. D., LII. D., the presi-
dent of the Rochester Theological Seminary,
the great school which has fitted so many
for the Baptist ministry, and Rev.
Francis L. Patton, D. D., LII. D.. the presi-
dent Of Princeton. DR.. Strong spoke on the
subject of the relations existing between
education and religion, while Dr.. Patton's
theme was the true conception of the uni
versity. 1t would be hard to find two men
who were better fitted to speak on two such
important subjects. Both were listened to
with closest attention, and received the ap-
plause their efforts we'll deserved.
The Scene in the Hall.
The scene that spread out before the
speakers as they stood at the front Of the
platform to address the audience was in
every way remarkable one. The south end
of the hall had been reserved for the stu
dents of the different schools Of the uni
versity, and considerable number of young
women were scattered through the crowd.
The various schools all carried flags and
banners, and these were waved in the air
on every provocation. Two of the students
Of the medical school had provided them
selves with rather gruesome class emblems.
One was skull and croSSbone fastened to
the top of long pole. The other was
skull likewise fastened to pole. 1t was
surmounted by rusty high hat, and in
side the hollow Uranium was lighted can
die, which gave most CHASTITY appearance
to the whole. while the lower jaw was fas-
tened to a string and moved responsive to
the pulling of a string, so that the poor relic
of dead and gone human being looked for
all the world as though he were taking part
in the cheering, which at times threatened
to fairly raise the roof.
According to the program, brief recep-
ton to DR.. Whitman and the other illus
trious speakers of the evening was held in
the reception room for half hour prior to
the beginning of formal exercises tn the
hall.
Messrs. Gardiner G. Hubbard chairman; Sam
uel H. Greene, William L. Wilson. Brainard
H. Warner, Charles A. Stakely, Robert H.
Martin, ]. L. NJ. Curry, and Jesse H. Will
son.
The Students.
The students Of the university met at the
err trance to the building, and forming into
line entered the hall in a body. The differ
ent schools kept to themselves. under the
leadership of their class officers and mar
shals, and each school was headed by its
faculty. AS the long line filed around back
of the seats and the students found their
places in the part Of the hall they made
a most imposing array, thousand or more,
singing and cheering, waving their huge
flags and the smaller banners that denoted
the schools of which they are members.
From then on through the evening, with in
termissions long enough only for the speak
ers to deliver their addresses, they kept
up their share Of the confusion, so that at
times 1t was like bedlam broken loose In
fact, DR.. Patton was at one time compelled
to stop in his discourse long enough to say
that as he only expected to speak few
minutes longer he begged that he be not in
terrupted again. But 1t was all good-natur-
to realize that they were watching the dawn
of q new era in the history Of their alma
mater, the result being that their feelings
were a bit too much for them.
Promptly at 8 o'clock the principal guests
of the evening entered the hall through the
main doorway and made their way through
the crowded aisles to the platform. The
line was headed by DR.. Whitman. leaning
on the arm Of Rev. DR.. q. H. Greene, the