The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-06-05

sion Of the Thlrtleth annual comHueuCe-
ment, when the class of 1902, mum berlng
x35, received diplomas.
Promptly at 10 a. m. regents, faculty
and graduates in cap and gown, formed IN
line in front of the library building. AT
the head Of the procession was the uni
versity band. Then came the candidates
for the degrees of doctor of phllos ophy ana
master of arts, the candidates Tor oacn-
elor of arts, engineering and laws. Pres
ident Northrop and the university re-
gents were next in line, followed by the
candidates for graduation from the col
lege OF medicine, dentistry and pharmacy.
The order Of march was along UnlVer-
sity avenue to the armory, where nearly
5000 people had gathered to witness the
exercises After an overture, Bride
Elect By the university band, President
Cyrus Northrop offered prayer. An
other musical selection was given by the
band and President Cyrus Northrop arose
to deliver his address to the graduates,
In part as follows: ..
Presidents Commencement Address.
We are in the midst of an era OF sensa-
tionalsm in education. or we are fast ap-
preaching such an era The paradoxlcal IS
taking the place OF the true Rockefeller
shares the throne Of intellect with SHAKESPEARE
and rag time music bushes the melody OF the
hymns our fathers and mothers loved to sing.
Professors attract notice to themselves and
their institutions by utterances that ought to
consign them to the investigation OF COM
mission de lunatico inquirendo Something
new is wanted, and wanted all the time 1t
need not be true, it need not be valuable,
but it must be astounding and must attract
general attention. To be unknown and IN
noticed is death, hut to be notorious, even
as literary or educational crank or lunatic,
Is fame. Thank heaven, the picture is not
true as an expression OF the general condi-
ton-but it is true Of altogether too large
q part Of the educational feld-and it is
time that common sense reasserted it's au-
thority.
1t Is with education with building-no
matter what may be the style Of architecture,
the superstructure must stand upon a solid
foundation 1t is worthless. Your Gothic
arches, your Corinthian or Doric columns will
all tumble to the dust without the faithful,
conscientious work of the mason he lays
the strong foundation upon which all is to
stand. -
The first object OF the university is, OF
course to teach knowledge to those who need
It, 1t utilities all the knowledge that the
world has accumulated and gives this out to
Its students in such measure as time will per-
NIT and so far as American universities are
concerned, this has to- very large degree
been almost their exclusive work in the past.
But there is higher idea Of university
than that embodied in the work of teaching.
Its properly province is to investigate, make
discoveries, explore the darkness and bring
light. And it is complaint not without much
justification. that the universities in this
country have done comparatively little of
this kind of work. 1t may, however, be said
in justification, that hardly a university in
this country, until within the last fifteen or
twenty years, has had such an equipment for
Its proper province is to investigate, make
very much more in the way Of investigation
than any Intelligent individual might do with
out any relation to university. The scien-
tlic equipment of most Of the colleges of the
country, until within a very few years, has
never been better than that of respectable
high school at the present time This is in
measure justification for universities not
having done as much for the advancement OF
knowledge as, under other circumstances
they might reasonably be expected to have
done. ss'.>--s7
I shall hail the day with gladness wher
the state will make such provision for Other
departments as will enable the professors ir
those departments to devote reasonable Dor.
ton OF time to the search after truth so thai
they may no longer be limited to mere peda
gogical work, and teaching shall no Longer
be the be all and the end all of universit,
work.
Ladies and gentlemen of the graduatin,
class, you have by four years of more o.
less faithful work completed your chosen
CoulSS VI SLuuy anu are now eQCtled TO re
ceive the diploma of the university in evi
dence of what you have done The year
that you have spent here have been peaceful
years, undisturbed by any disagreements O.
by public disturbances. Not all that entered
the course with you are here to-day; man,
have fallen out of the ranks for one reason
another; they were unable to conplet
the course, and one at least who would hav
graduated with you to-day, with a high ranl
a scholar and upon whom notwithstand
ing his departure the university confers hi
degree has been promoted by the Master t
higher service above, and yet is perhap
sharing with you the joys Of this occasion.
hope that the very greatest success will
attend every one of you IN your work in life
that you may all be power for good in tn
state and in the country; that you will non
of you let unworthy ambition lead yo
to do what your best moral sense does no
approve, and that you will be contented t
be faithful in whatever work you may fin
to do, certain at all times that fidelity vii
be sure to receive its proper reward; whethe
you are great or not is not so important a
whether you are useful. I hope that the stat
will receive more than ample compensate
for all that it has done for you in the goo
work that you will accomplish for the state
The state has many things within its Dor
ders which may be counted as riches, but
has nothing more properly counted as richie
than educated earnest, faithful sons an
daughters. ,.-- ..E.-
new phrase has recently been introduce
into literature by the distinguished autho
of the work., western Civilization Tha
phrase is Projected Efficiency It is de
clared by competent judges to be phras
which is destined to take it's. place wit
natural selection" and 'the survival of tn
fttest' as the name of one of the great law
Of life. cit describes the decisive factor
social progress 1.-THE future and not th
present is the controlling center of the evolu
tionary process in our social history" Int
that future the university projects its eff
cheney through you-and you, as you go OF
into the world, will do your part in workin
out, for and in the name of the universit.
the great problem Of the age.
Degrees were then conferred by tn
award of diplomas upon the 435 member
of the class of 1902, the largest in the his
tory Of the institution. The singing (
the hymn, "God Bless Our Native Land,
by the audience brought the final CON
mencement exercises to a close.
PILLSBURY MEMORIAL
Tributes to the Memory of the ssUni
versity's Father"
A foot -p$ Z N NJ