New-York tribune., 1899-06-21
MT. HOLYOKES GREAT DAY.
EHE PRESIDENT THE CENTRAL FIGURE
OF ITS COMMENCEMENT.
MIR M'KINLEY HANDS TO THE GRADUATE!
THEIR DIPLOMAS AND is HoNoRED
WITH THE DEGREE OF d. c. l..

WITH THE DEGftEE Or IL. - L.
BY THE COLLEGE
TrY TELEGRAPH TRInUNE.l
..uolvoke Mass June 20-President Mckinley
had conferred upon him to-day by Mount Holy
ota College the degree OF doctor OF civil law.
which probably partly intended a recog
milton OF the service he has rendered TO the
cause Of higher education OF women by his at
tendance at the commencement exercises this
year of two colleges for women. The President
In his speech Of thanks for the honor gave token
pf his own interest in this educational effort
by saying:
'I am glad that are demonstrating In the
United States to-day that the boy should have
no better education than the girl. and Mount
,Hoyoke and Smith and the half dozen other in
stitutons Of the kind are demonstrating that
fact"
TO SOUTH HADLEY IN A TROLLEY CAR
The President and Mrs. Mckinley about 10
o'clock this morning left Mr.. Writings home
IN this city in the parlor trolley car Rockrm-
mon for South Hadley. TO attend the exercises
az Mount Holyoke College. They were accom-
,,aned by Governor Roger Wocott and Lieu
nant-Governor w. NJ Crane. Of Massachu-
sstts: Mrs Wocott wife Of the Governor;
Charles H. Allen, Assistant Secretary Of the
NAVY and Mrs Allen; Abner Mckinley and
Mrs Mckinley Miss Helen Mckinley, the PREM
dents sister; George b. Cortelyou. the Presi-
dents acting secretary, and Mr.. ana mrs
William Whiting. of this city. The ride 10
South Hadley a pleasant one. and az us
conclusion the President saw his special blue
flag with the arms of the United States which
was presented TO Mount Holyoke College yes
terday by one OF it's patrons floating from the
college flagstaff.
Mrs. Mckinley and Mrs. Wolcott were first
escorted to seats in the chapel or the coiiese'
Then a procession formed with President
Mckinley and the Rev. DR.. Judson Smith, OF
Boston president Of the Board OF trustees OF
the college. at it's head. Other distinguished
visitors followed after President Mckinley ana
Mr. Smith. and the procession moved into the
chapel between the lines of the graduating
class The Presidents niece, Miss Grace Hove
Mckinley was one of those in the graduating
class. In the chapel President Mckinley was
u,alcomed by Mrs Elizabeth StorrJ Mad, presi-
dent Of Holyoke College, and escs.o'd WIN the
other guests to a seat upon the platform.
.Har TO the Chiefw was played Sy w. c Ham
,nond organist while the procession was on its
way to the platform The President on taking
a seat saw before him the 400 women students
Of the college. and large number or dlsun-
guished guests. Among them was George W.
Cable. of Northampton, the novelist. Ihe pat
form was banked with daisies. ferns and potted
plants.
The exercises began with the singing Of an
anthem by the college choir. Scripture reading
and prayer by the Rev. Dr. Henry u. stiinsoh'
of New-York followed. DR.. Stimson prayed
that President Mckinley and Governor Woicou
would be protected from the temptations Oh eH-
alted rank; that the Army and Navy "ouio
nlfn OIf
hast commissioned them TO do." and that the SOL
oilers and sailors IN their victory would conquer
+he hearts as we'll as the bodies Of their foes.
.Iounod's "Sanctus" was sung finely by the
college choir.
fDR SMITH AND GOV. WOLCOTT SPEAK.
An address of considerable length followed
from the Rev. DR.. Smith on the influence OF
1,beral education. In closing his address DR..
Smith said:
Culture the regal dowry Of man. Is the Anal
aim Of college discipline II never be meas
,ired by its financially productive power; ~ -
something good in itself and not simply eoou pc
cause IL can be put to material use. IL IL not
skill or dexterity eloQuence. or athletic torce;
il is manhood, wisdom. magnaninhty OF the soui
itself and II gives dignity and power 10 the
whole human life. The scholar. the man OF
culture is never 10 be thought OF as merely or
namental, much less as an IDLE or useless man, nan
He can do all that any man can 90, ana caI, ear.
of his great thoughts o,.-, .,
We need not fear TO multiply indefinitely the
number of highly cultured men ana s, women I'm IN
our land; no important material interest can
possibly suffer thereby; rather all lie ana ser
vice will rise TO higher levels ana secure more
widely the welfare Of the Nation ana or the
times In scenes like this we all rejoice mere
this enhancing work goes on from month 70
month from year TO year from generation "
generation: the ingenious, receptive soul opens
10 the treasures Of the worlds great deeds ano
thoughts and words, and learns the secrets OF
life and power. and grows up TO culture ano
courage and dauntless hope. And wear oy year
the swelling ranks of those whose course is mere
completed come forward, as to-day to receive
our welcome and Godspeed. Our year mere is
zen OF the land the President OF the United
States. l think this is the first occasion that
a President has thus honored the commencement
OF a woman's college
DR. Smith introduced Governor Wolcott, who
was received with great applause and who
said he wished he had the Presidents privilege
of declining to make a speech. Mr.. Wolcott then
delivered an address on the education OF women,
which was frequently interrupted by applause
In closing his address the Governor said:
think II has been very well established that
a little knowledge does not. in woman, deprive
her Of the life Of lovelness which we IKE 10
believe is her special inheritance / tnnK II nas
been sufficiently proved that little knowledge
does not unfit her TO be the companion, yes, ana
the inspiration. Of man. And so the common
wealth brings to you to-day the homage that ls
due to her whose name this hall bears. VINO was
one OF the first If not the very first, to conceive
that womans brain could stand. and ala need
cultivation. l bring the homage or the COM
monwealth to that name and TO that famiy;
bring the homage and the greeting OF the Com
monwealth and her congratulations 10 the tus-
tees and to the officers Of the institution les,
and to the undergraduates and the sraouasihs
class Of this college on this beautiful June day.
The choir then sang The Lord is My shep-
herd"
PRESENTATION OF DIPLOMAS.
The presentation OF diplomas followed. Pres
'dent Mckinley was escorted by Mrs. Mead 10
the little space in front Of the PLATFORM ana
then to one scholar after another or the sixty
three graduates he handed her diploma The