The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-06-28
YALE COMMENCEMENT WEEK
THE ANNUAL ALUMNI MEETING
 THIS FORENOON.

The Yale Law School Anniversary Yes- terday-The Townsend Prize Speaking Award of fPrizes-Medical School Ex- ercises To-day-The Class Reunions, Ball Game, GIee Club Concert, Etc.
 The commencement of '9S is as gay and bright as that of any previous year. The class day yesterday was celebrated in fine style and was a suc- cess in every way. The seniors were astir early, in fact some sat up all night in order to hold their seats for the exercises of the afternoon. They have found that 1t takes a great amount of activity to show their brothers and sisters around to every thing that is to be seen and at the same time to be in their proper place tives and friends live too far away to come to commencement is coming in for great amount of envy on the part of his classmates.
 At il o'clock the exercises of the week opened in Battell chapel with the class oration by Samuel B. Bassett of Wilton Conn.,, and the class poem by Forsyth Wickes of New York. MT. Bassett is the high stand man of his class and has made record unsurpassed by that of any graduate of the college. In addition to having made such a re- markable record he won, in his junior year, the Ten Eyck prize speaking. MT. Bassett's subject was "The Force of an Idea" He spoke upon what the class had gained during It's four years in Yale and what it meant to be a Yale man. He referred to the meaning im- piled in the word Vale" and how the influence of the college had grown and expanded for two centuries. The privi- lege of being a Yale man involves a re- sponsibility to the world and to the col lege itself in return for what it has done.
 Tn closing, he addressed in turn Presi- den Dwight, the faculty and the gradu- ating class, as follows:
 To the President:
 In thinking of our college and what it stands for, our minds naturally turn first of all to you, it's official head. For under your guidance the force of the idea has been greatly increased by the broadening of her sphere. As we have advanced in our course the honor and respect which your presence al- ways inspires in us has increased, while the many acts of kindness of which the world has never learned, which those in need have received from your hands, testify to the largeness of your heart We feel that the honor and prestige of the university could not be in better hands, and in parting fer vently wish that the years may be many during which you continue to guide the college we love.
 To the Faculty:
 We have received from you much wise instruction and our minds have been trained by you for our future work. But the greatest good, perhaps, which we carry away from your class rooms, will be the influence upon us of your personalities. The silent appeals which you have made to whatever of manliness there is in us will continue to influence our lives long after the greater part of our textbook learning has passed away. We cannot say fare- well to all under whom we have studied. Since we parted year ago one has been called home. I think no one who was privileged to sit under the instruc- ton of Dr. Thompson failed to appre- ciate the earnestness and strength of his character and the deep interest he took in every man under his care. By his death Yale has lost scholarly in- structor and we faithful friend.
 In parting we wish to thank you for the personal interest you have taken in us, for the insight you have tried to give us into the worlds history and meaning, and for the wise counsels you have given us. May you live to confer the same benefits upon our sons!
 Classmates:
 This is our formal parting time. We meet no more together by ourselves as class with the consciousness of part ing over us. What Is our last word to each other? Is it not that we are brothers, sons of one common mother? Diversity of conditions of interests, of tastes cannot break the bond which binds us together. As long as memory shall last the close association of years in the class room and on the campus will give to any member of the class of '9S a peculiar claim upon us We are not all here. Four of our number have been graduated from the world into the next life. Some responded to the first call of our country because they believed she had a right to the services of her best men, and are now enduring the drudgery of the common soldier. The time has come for us to say goodbye to the happfest years of our life. Just beyond us lies the world in which we are to win place for our selves and honor for Yale. The sorrow of parting from the old sweet life is overwhelmed by the shouts of the new life beckoning us. One more tight grasp of the hand and our college life is over But its memories shall last.
 MT. Wickes is one of the strongest literary men of the graduating class and his selection as class poet was a most excellent one. The poem is well written and shows a fine poetic con- ception on the part of the author.
 The following selection, including the