Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-07-06
THE HEW SIAER LIB2ARX Y

was a most scholarly and refined pre-
sentation of the value of books. Space
does not permit of our quoting at length,
and no extract can give an adequate idea
of the whole. At the close of the ad-
dress, hymn written for the occasion
by Prof. C. B. Wright was sung. 1t
follows:
The sacred aises OF praise and prayer
Are not alone Thy temples Lord
Within this portal springing fair
The treasures of the times are stored
The garnered wisdom of the years,
wisdom, Lord, not ours but Thine,
And where Thy wondrous thought appears
. may we recognize shrine
A halowcd shrine where eager youth,
For generations yet to be,
Shall enter, ardent for the truth,
And seeking truth shall learn of Thee.
Benediction by DR.. Scott closed the
exercises.
Prof. and Mrs. Eaton received the
members of the classes from 1888 to
| 1900 inclusive at their home from /
TO o'clock. This included the classes
during Prof. Eaton's connection with
the college.
In the evening the annual commence
ment concert was given at the Congre-
gational church. Exceptional effort was
/
tions for the centennial, and it is doubt
J full if any previous concert ever brought
together musical talent of such high or
der. The singing of Miss Katharine
Isabel PeltOn was, of course, of chief in
terest to those who attended, and the
audience was not disappointed. Miss
PeltOn's selections were for the most
part familiar ballads, and the delight
expressed by her hearers testified 20 her
sympathetic rendering of them. The
Albion Male Quartette of Boston has
long borne high reputation and fully
maintained it. The Dannreuther String
Quartette of New York, assisted by
Felix Leifels, contra basso, showed the
high skill that had recommended their
selection.
The educational conference, the hour
set for which was IL 80 on Wednesday
morning, was feast for those engaged
in educational work. The marked fea-
ture of the addresses was their conser-
vatism. 1t has not been shown that
new methods have produced better re-
suits than the old; and if what was
good in the old is to be preserved the
small New England colleges can be de-
pended upon TO do so. Pres. Rankin of
Howard university, Washington; Pres.
Tucker of Dartmouth, Pres. Buckham of
the University of Vermont, Pres. Car
ter of Williams and President Murkland
of the New Hampshire College of Agri-
culture and Mechanic Arts, were among
the speakers. The meeting lasted about
two hours, and those who were present
expressed themselves enthusiastically
over results.
The Presidents reception was from 4
to G o'clock in the afternoon of Wednes-
day. "Springside" never looked more
beautiful. Its spacious lawns were pro.
vided with seats, and when the recep-
ton was at its height presented a very
pleasing picture. DR.. and Mrs. Branerd
were assisted by other members of the
family in receiving guests. Refresh
ments were served in the dining room
and on the piazza. An orchestra played
during the afternoon.
The event of events was the Roman
drama given in the centennial building
Wednesday evening. No audience of
such size was ever before gathered under
one roof in Middlebury. For some time
before o'clock the driveway in front
of the big building was blocked with
carriages discharging their loads of
handsomely dressed women and gentle
men in evening attire, and the ticket
takers at the doors could not tear the
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