The record-union., 1898-02-23
In an Address to the Students Of the Uni
versiiy Of Pennsylvania.
Every Incentive to Cherish the
Memory of the Teachings of the
Father of Our Country-His
Wisdom and Foresight Con-
frmed and Vindicated After
More Than a Century of Expe-
rience.

PHILADELPHIA, req. --.-1TeSi-
dent Mckinley ate an early breakfast
with the family of Charles c. Harrison.
He did not leave the house until few
minutes before IL o'clock, when in
company with Mr.. Harrison he was
driven to the Academy of Music, where
the Washington Birthday commemora-
tive exercises of the University of
Pennsylvania were held.
Over 2,000 students assembled on
University Campus al 9:30 and marched
four abreast to the Academy of Music.
When the head of the long column
reached Mr.. Hagrison's house, Presi-
dent Mckinley appeared at the door.
There he smiIingly bowed to the under
graduates in response to their hearty
college greetings. AS each class
reached the house its members shouted
the college cry of ''Penn-Syl-Va-Nia,'
ending with The President" The
President 'The President" The
Presidents face lighted up, and betok-
ened extreme pleasure.
President Mckinley addressed an in
telligent and 'appreciative audience at
the academy. BY his side on the
stage were assembled the faculty of
the University of Pennsylvania and
many professors and executive officials
of other prominent educational institu-
tions. The seating capacity of the
academy was $500. All seats and
boxes were occupied, and from 400 to
500 persons stood in the rear of several
galleries. The main portion of the
auditorium was reserved for the stu
dents of the college.
I1a prsaci Il iay1f on
the stage was the signal for thunder
Gus applause, and as it died away the
students broke out with their thrice
repeated college cry of Pennsylvania, .
and the Municipal Band followed with
Hail to the Chief" and the Star Span
gled Banner
The exercises were opened with pray
er by Bishop Whitaker of the Protes-
tant Episcopal Church.
Charles c. Harrison, provost of the
University of Pennsylvania, then de-
livered an address, on closing which he
introduced President Mckinley. Mr..
Harrison said:
1T is the peculiar pride of the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania that so much
of her history is associated with the
years that Washington was the servant
of his country. We justly feel that
we have pre-eminence in this relation,
and now in these latter years, in the
vigor of renewed youth, we have conse-
Grated the 22d of February as our Uni
versity Day with a propriety that can
not be challenged
Seven years of Washington's Presi-
Dental life We're spent in Philadelphia,
and at a time when the arm of the city
was circumscribed within short radi-
us: when its institutions We're few in
number, and when a comparatively
small group of its citizens were the
active spirits in affairs. Washington
was in constant intercourse with White
and Franklin and Proyosts Smith and
Ewing His associates in the Conti-
mental Congress, in military operations
and in Federal administration were the
University's Rittenhouse, its Morgan,
its Bingham, its Francis Hopkinson,
its McKean, its Shipper and its Robert
Morris. From the executive mansion,
Bushrod, Washington went into daily
attendance upon its law course under
James Wilson, the first Justice of the
Supreme Court.
During Washington's Presidency two
OF his nephews, George Steploe and
Lawrence Augustine Washington. took
here the degrees as Bachelors of Arts.
In 1888 the University of Pennsylva-
MIA conferred upon Washington its
highest honorary degree.
The theme of to-day's ceremonies IS
the Memory of Washington For
many years the University has been
eteadfast in the celebration of this high
day. But never since the day when
the President of the United States, Cen
eral Washington, opened the law school
of the University, have we been hon
ored by the presence and voice of
President The President will address
to-day those who gratefully feel his
gracious act in that amid the cares
and duties of his exalted office he has
counted il worthy of his time and eff
fort to be our orator upon this occasion
II have the distinguished honor cf
presenting the Trustees. the faculties
anD the students of the university aud
ahesr guests. this great audience. TO
the President"
President Mckinley. as he stepped
forward. was greeted with spontaneous
handclapping from all over the house,
and the students again gave their col
lege cry II was some minutes BEFORE
quiet was restored. The Presidents ad-
dress. which was delivered in his Gus