Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-08-08
Some Notable Academic Degrees.

Some Notable Academic Degrees.
At the college commandments this
season, as heretofore, many honorary
degrees were bestowed, some wisely
and some otherwise. Among the most
fitting of these was the bestowal by
Harvard of the Ii. y. upon the Ger
man ambassador to the United States.
1t Is worthy Of special note by reason
of the sentiments of international re-
gard expressed both in the giving and
the receiving of it. President Eliot
conferred the degree with these words:
''TheodOr Won Holleben, ambassador of
the young and lusty German empire,
representative of an ancient people
whose racial and institutional roots are
intertwined with our Own-Of a people
whose scholars and universities have
for a century given example and in
spiration to the learned world"
In his acknowledgment of the honor
DR.. Won Holleben, after referring TO
our ambassador at Berlin, the Hon. A.
D. White, as an eminent statesman,
said: Il bring assurances that 1t Is
more than books and tunes that my
fatherland sends you. 1t is, first of all,
good will and friendship. All Germany
feels that the two great branches of the
Teutontc race belong together"
Among all the academic honors con-
ferred this year none has been more
thoroughly deserved than the honorary
NJ. A. bestowed by Columbia upon the
Rev. F. d. GameweH, the Methodist
missionary whose engineering skill, ac-
quired in his student days at Cornell
before he devoted himself to mission
ary interests, enabled him to fOrtify
the legations at Peking with a skill
that won the praise of military experts
and proved to be the salvation of the
besieged.
Peculiar interest attaches to the be-
stowal Of degrees at Bowdoin college.
After comforting LII. DIS on eX-Sena-
tor Washburn Of Minnesota and on Sen
ator Gibson of Montana this substan-
tial old Maine institution honored that
well known and well loved woman
writer, Sarah Orne Jewett, with the de-
gree of doctor of letters.
The National Geographic Magazine
contains an interesting article on the
General Geography of Alaska" by
Henry Gannett, chief geOgrapher Of
the United States geological survey. 1t
embraces a description of the Pacific
and Bering seacoast lines of the
country and a general account Of its
interior, together with something con
cerning climate and resources. Mr..
Gannett has a very high idea of the
value of Alaska's resources, which he
thinks Will contribute greatly to the
wealth of the American people. 1t is
with special emphasis that he mentions
among these resources the wonderful
scenery of the fiords, or long, narrow
inlets, the glaciers and the mountains.
He says that for the one Yosemite of
California Alaska has hundreds and
that the mountains and glaciers of
the Cascade range are duplicated and
a thousandfoId exceeded in Alaska"
In his enthusiasm he further remarks
that "the Alaska coast is to become
the show place of the earth, and pill
grims not only from the United States,
but far beyond the seas, win thrOng
in endless procession to see it." lie
advises people who are old to go and
see it at once, but to the young he says
that they should visit other places first
before going to Alaska, because it is
not well to dull ones capacity for en-
Joyment by seeing the finest first.