The morning times., 1896-03-08
IN LAW Ind PHILOSOPHY
Degrees Conferred at the Cath
Ollie University.
CARDINAL GIBBONS THERE
Two Candidates Received the Law
Degree and Two That of Philosophy
in the Advanced Course-yenerabIe
Bishop Mcmahon Present at the In
teresting Ceremony.

| The Catholic University yesterday con
ferred its first degrees in the facultie;
! of law and philosophy.
/ The assembly room OF Mcmahon Hall was
| crowded to It's utmost capacity with stu
| dents and select gathering OF Washington
| people and many from distance who had
| come especially for the event.
| The capacious stage was entirely filled
| with tile body Of professors. The venerable
| Monsignor McMahon, in whose honor the
| hall was named, occupied u prominent po-
sition.
key. Father Richards president OF George
town University, and Rev. DR.. RANKIN,
| president of Howard University, AMI Prof.
Monroe. representing Columbian University,
! were present.
Cardinal Gibbons. chancellor OF the
| university, prcsIded at the solemnity.
Bishop Kane, the rector, made an intro
ductoTy address presenting to the chan
ceIlor the first fruits of the faculties of
law and philosophy Ito receive at his
hands the honors which they had we'll
deserved"
BISHOP KANE'S ADDRESS.
The rector stated that although the school
Of law has been at work only five months,
| one OF the candidates had already won the
degree OF bachelor OF laws and the other
the degree OF master Of laws. because they
were not noYiccs in legal studies, but men
mature both in the knowledge and the
practice OF the law.
one OF them. Mr.. Kennedy. had been u
practicing lawyer for six years, and the
utner, Br. Briggs, Tor twenty years. But
approaching the advantages offered by
the institution. they had gone back again
to study and had won their degrees by hard
work and credltdHy sustaining searching
examinations.
Besides these gentlemen the rector said
the faculty OF philosophy presented two
others for honorary degrees, Charles War
rem StOdlarI for the degree of doctor Of
letters. and Rev. George NJ. Serle for
doctor OF philosophy.
afr. Stoddard takes the degree OF doctor
OF letters because OF his world Tepu-
tation in English literature. while George
! 81. Serle is everywhere known as one OF
the leading matbematicians and astroRo-
| mers of America.
REV. DIR. PCGH'S ESSAY.
After the rector's address, Rev. DIR.
Pugh. dean Of The faculty, read a learned
and interesting essay on ST. Thomas
Aquinas, whose patronal feast the uni
versary that day celebrated.
At the conclusion OF this address Judge
Robinson, dean OF tie law faculty, pre-
scented the two candidates. Messrs. Ken
uedy and Briggs. Cardinal Gibbons gave
them their diplomas and invested them
| with the academic hoods appropriate to
their degrees. Each made brief re-
Spouse OF thanks.
The dean OF the philosophy faculty then
| presented Mr.. Stoddard and Dr.. Serie.
| They also received from the Cardinal
| their diplomas and doctors hoods. DR..
! Serle replying in the name OF both.
| The Cardinal cbanceIl or then made
! an address. CongratuIa ting the university
! on these first fruits OF the departments
| for the laity. and dwelling at length on
/ the harmony which must always exist
| be; ween science. philosophy, and religion,
| between the knowledge OF nature, of man,
| aud OF God
| The ceremonies began at 4 and con-
| tinued until $50, and were impressive
| and interesting throughout.