The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1897-04-28
EDUCATION ENNOBLES
suggestive Incidents Of the Recon-
University Celebration.
DiHerence Between Academicians and
Indians Who Lived One Cen
fury Ago.

1t seems too bad that the whole town was
not there to see that entrance of the uni
Vers1ty boys into the old First church on
Wood street last Wednesday. They were
such fine looking set. with young. earn
est faces, framed in cap and gown; and
there, as they stood rank behind rank
quietly watching the distinguished men
who filed down to their places between
tfem it would be hard to imagine a more
suggestive sight. The boys looked on the
men they hoped to be. Ambition regarded
success. Hope gazed on fulfilment The
present looked at the past, and gained
courage for the future, says the Pittsburg
acknowledgements.
How suggestive those black robed fig
ures were, as they quietly filed past the
red and yellow and green, the white and
purple of the gowns showing that every
one OF these men had siezed some laural
from James wreath. College presidents
doctors, lawyers, bishops, ministers-each
one had given something to the race:
humanity was richer for the life each
man had lived.
What beautiful faces they had! Almost
every one showed traces Of intellect ual
conflicts and victories. Faces they were
that 1t was good for the young men stand
Ing there, silent and motionless, to see
good, pure faces; strong, eager faces
races which made one forget whether the
men to whom they belonged were young
men or old men. All one noticed was that
they stood for character. Instincively as
they swept up the isle, one asked what
had made these men what they were and
each spectator answered the question for
himself, the reply ought to give Chancellor
Holland the hundred thousand dollars he
asked for. the million the university
should haveI
Looking at these men, and listening to
the roll call of the chancellor few min
rpf0 LOT or 1,n1,
the only thing worth living for was to
give all ones money to the university and
help to make mon like these!
Il wish you had been there a lady con-
fided to an acquaintance going home in the
street car after it was over. 1T was y
sight one does not often see in lifetime
Il should think it would have looked
absured." her friend responded: ''all those
dignifed men dressed up in gowns and
caps
Il thought SC too, until I saw it. You
know my husband was in the procession,
and we have a college president our
guest. So last night the men tried on their
regalia, and my husband declared he felt
as If he were about to enter the ring of a
private circus, while President Soandso
said his sensation was that he was about
to engage in a lively skirt dance"
'Well, didn't you think Of that today
and smile.'
" No indeed. You forgot the gown in re-
membering what they represented; but
after all the hearing was better than the
seeing"
Were the addresses so fine?"
Yes, fine and suggestive. Fancy
being carried back to the time, only hum
dred years ago, when Mrs. Barr, the wife
of the pastor of the church that stood on
the very spot where we were sitting used
to live In constant terror because the In
w n car oIO
insisted on carrying off her little ones
every little while. to spend day in their
WlgWams. She was afraid to let the In
dams know her fear, and she did not dare
show her lack of confidence in them by
even asking when her babies would be
brought back. When she did get them
home safe and well at nghtfal she re-
ceived them as if from the grave. POSI-
lively, Chancellor Holland drew such a
vivid picture of those early days that I
shut my eyes and almost heard the war
whoop with which Mrs. Bars servant
girl entertained her neighbors when she
went back to her eastern home"
Il don't see anything so very suggestive
or inspiring in that!'
My dear. think what different set of
beings were standing In that place a hun
dred years ago, and then of the power
that has wrought the change. You should
have heard the long list of men who have
.
A list to be more than proud Of. 1 wished
it might be framed and placed where
every citizen of Pittsburg could and
read it. There could not be a stronger plea
for education"
Are you going tonight?"
mo; 1 wish 1 were. 1 hope you will.
There is letter to be read. which alone
will be worth the time and effort required
to go. I have had a glimpse Of 1t. 1t is
from a man who graduated u years ago"
Fancy it, years ago!''
YES Y years. And one sentence in 1t
is SO beautiful 1 wish 1 could quote It.
He is writing of his inability to attend
the anniversary. I want to come he
says, but the casket which holds me Is so
frail cannot bring it just now Did you
ever hear the soul of q man speak out
more bravely? The MANTLE soul-the ego
was eager and willing. but the flesh was
weak. That letter made life more worth
living to me. 1t showed so plainly how
a cultured scul rich with the knowledge
and wisdom Of 80 years, regards this body
Of which we are apt to make so much.
That old graduate regards it tenderly; he
cares for it carefully; but it is not he him
self. He wanted to come. He was alive.
active, eager. He the real man, has only
grown richer, more cultured, more bril-
liant in his battle with life. Time has
rudely handled the casket. It is very frail
now, but the jewel it contains has grown
more and more polished more fit to be
set at last in the Diadem of Ages.
But what did it?"
Don't you see that education, founded
on integrity, will do the same for every
soul?" PRISCILLA.