Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-06-28
University of Vermont Sends
Forth Class of Forty-four
This Year.
CORPORATION DINNER.
Orations by Members of the Gradual
ing Glass, Followed by the Confer
ing of Degrees-Speeches at
the Annual Dinner at the
Van Ness House.

The clerk of tho weather turned on the
HEAT for commencement day and yester-
day will pass as the warmest day of the
season thus far. Nevertheless the opera
house was filled during the exercises and
the speakers all acquitted themselves in
a manner that won hearty applause. The
orations showed much thought and were
of high order of merit. Seated on the
stage with President Buckham were
members of the board of trustees and
faculty and a few of the older alumni.
The programme was as follows:
Musc-March. 1900. ....Gus w. Bernard
. Prayer.
. Music" Simple Aven' ..Thonte
The Higher Education of Pubic Men,
Thomas Reed Powell
Woman's Office in Society.
Amy Maud Burt
, The Old and the New Spirit in Science,
Royden Eugene Becbe
, Music-Watz, blue Danube job Strauss
Samuel Adams and the Revolution,
Charles Marcellus Sturgess
The Present Relation of Literature and
the Drama,
Mary Wilson Harrison
, The Ethics OF Citizenship,
John Lowe Fort, jr.
, Sparkling Eyes. ......C. Puerner
Omar khayyam,
Horatio Neson Drury
, Saxon and Slav,
Joshua Bartlett kirkpatrick
Lord Roberts in South Africa,
Charles Amasa Tracy
T. Music-Polsh Mazurka. Puerner
Degrees conferred.
Music March, Sweetheart. .....A Pryor
BenediCtion.
Mr.. Powell said in part:
Recent events have made the American
, nation "a world power. In this larger ma
tional life, 1t is not enough that our dip
lomatic agents and colonial officials be
, men of high ability and large
public experience; it is also vi
: tai that they be well trained
and disciplined for their special lines Of
= work But the wider craftsmanship which
the logic of events has disclosed to us de
. mands not only the Improvement of our
= diplomatic and consular service, but, as
- well, the higher education Of our public
. men, both those who have share in the
making and execution of our laws ana
2 that larger body of citizens, who, through
. the lecture room, platform, pulpit and
/ press exert such profound influence up
( the currents of popular political
!, thought. Democracy can find no surcr
l road to national vigor and endurance than
the development of an aristocracy of in
= tellect, so comprehensive as to embrace
5 not only those who discharge the func-
4 tons of government but every citizen who
$ through his influence or his vote, affects
2 in some degree the decision Of those ques-
= Then will the utterances of maJorities
prove the most potent means for the pres
ervation and extension of American prin-
ciples.
Mr.. Beebe reviewed the early stages of
chemistry when reason and truth were
| held down by superstition and untruths
taken for facts, showing some of the rea-
soning involved in support of the early
, theories. Though chemistry as a science
had emerged from medieval darkness. us
universal acceptance was not rapid. The
, ologians were feaful of its general feature
! duction. by far the most marked feature
in this movement in our own country was
e a law carried through Congress by our la
; mcnted Senator Morrill, endowing Ia
l tlonal system of colleges in which scienu-
tic studies should be placed on an equality
with studies in classical literature,
However the fears OF the former thoolo-
> gists have not been realized there is no
= sign of any tendency toward lirellSloh
/ among the workers in the new schools oil
i thought. For the future there need be no
I fear. A God of truth prevails ana science
; is his literature.
e Miss Mary W. Harrison spoke of the
o Present Relation of Literature and the
d Drama along those lines: In the drama
= are two elements poetical and theatrical
8 To endure a drama must leave Doth. Inc
r drama of to-day is divided into literary
}, and non-literaiy The after much eN-
Il ceeds the former consisting OF melodrama,
= musical farces and naturallstic plays. Inc
= chief opponents of the literary drama are
Ihsen. Maeterbrick, Rostand and stephen
Philips The chief enemy of dramatic
. literature is realism. Present indications
point to an idealstic and literary drama
. for the future.
r In discussing the ethics of citizenship
y Mr. Fort said
o AN Americans greatest honor is true
u citizenship for the citizen Is
tom
; er his servant. Final responsible
II ity for good government, therefore, rests
> upon the holder of the ballot who ought
, to be properly qualified to discharge ms
u political duty. Ethics demands when
e moral and material considerations are
e opposed to each other the moral shall
I have preference. In our haste to get rich
t our ethical conceptions have become dis
ordered and we are reconciled to evil ii II
u can be made source of profit The bur
II den of political argument is for financial
II rather than moral issues. Money and the
u tariff receive the attention of politicians
l. which the moral issue represented by the
liquor question is practically ignored. The
true citizen elevates moral considerations
: to the the throne where they belong.
The reasoning WHICH says of two evils
. one must choose least is false reason
a ing involving the character of God and
. making him responsible for evil. Yet this
q sophistry is made the base of political APP
: pedls to Christian men. The true either
y will not sell his moral birthright nor VIC
a late his political conscience. He is not
afraid of throwing away his vote nor be
ling called a "mugwump."
!, Only by the observance of ethical prin-
ciples In political life can America hope
for enduring honor.
g Mr.. Drury chose as his subject, "Omal
a Khayyam." BY way of preface the speak
"A er remarked that modern life was the ou
/ come of various influences. Al
t though it is of course difficult
= TO Tx definitely upon any one
= predominating force close anal, lis
e of history teaches that literature in lt'
}. most comprehensive sense has playo
y prominent part in moulding the deyt.O, 80
l. ment of humanity. The function of tn,
world poet is more far-reaching and en-
during in its effect than the achievement.
of world conquerors.
a Along with the most enduring of worlC
a poets Omar khayyam deserves to b,
- ClaSsed.
- The chief reason for his justly promin
; ent rank is the fact that the keynote t.
y his work, his life. his individuality is uni
- versatility in its truest sense. Ant
It is this universality-a featur
e well brought out by the remark
> ably sympa thetic translation of Ed
l. ward Fitzgerald-that appeals espe
T. cial to the present, in that the quatrain
o. are Just as applicable in the sentimen
expressed to 18th century conditions an,