The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-09-25

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W Benjamin Ide Wheeler told
a vast audience at the ded-
z icauon Of the Greek open
air theater at the Univer-
sity Of California yesterday.
And so it was-the atmosphere. the fla
vOr OF the whole thing was Greek from
beginning to end. To begin with it had a
perfect Greek setting. The theater OF
blocks Of nodded earth, rising tier upon
tier above the arena, and the great stage
stretching between two great pillared
masses, was even an Improvement on the
Dionysiac theater OF the old Greeks Of
Athens. The day might have been an
Athenian day, for nature was at her very
best and she sent here light and warmth
out Of a flawless sky. The people-the
Greeks OF the West-were there in their
gayest costumes, and their western good
nature, emulating the Greeks of the East
AND last 10 make the picture a. master
piece, there came a Greek play, a com
Soy OF twenty-fOur centuries ago, with its
wftucisrns and unique conception, to set
those Greeks Of California a-laughing -
The Birds" Of Aristophanes.' After all
II was only a turning back of the hands
OF the clock a few centuries.
There was only one thing that kept the
spectator from thinking himself an
Athenisn Greek and that was the appear
ance in the arena Of men in the garb of
this day and generation and speaking
language that is familiar TO US all No
there was one other thing that did this
the ''roOters" from the student body, the
DellOWS-lunged Of 1903 A D, with their
-'Osh WOW vows" and their Hail Cali
fOrnias." These young men simply tore
great holes in that yielding California air
and turned the hose of laughter on every
thing that happened to touch their funny
bones The appearance Of William Ran
dolph Hearst with his wife, and Mrs.
Phoebe Hearst, his mother, with the
other members Of their party, who held
seats on the edge Of the arena, was the
signal for a great burst of applause from
the ''rooters" and Mr. Hearst was COM
PEELED TO doff his hat number of times In
acknowledgement Of the appreciation of
the students 10 the donor Of the theater.
JOY PREVAILED.
VVhen. President Wheeler, who happened
10 be one Of those persons in the latter
dav habit. called the audience to atten-
ton a little after 3 o'clock and those
s'rooters" turned their satire on him with
d Tnoclzery Of one Of his own phrases 1t
IS good TO be here" the audience laughed
But when President Wheeler returned the
compliment a moment later by fiinglng
the phrase back at them the audience
Laughter louder. Mr. Wheeler said;
1t indeed is good to be here. 1t is good
to have you all here. 1t is good TO have
the architect here. It is good TO have the
discoverer here. And il is good 10 have
the giver Of this gift here. What could
be more fitting than that on this occa-
sion the first speaker should be the first
who strolled upon this hillside one day
and found this spot-Ben Weedg'
Mr. Weed was graduated with the class
of "a and he is a school teacher now
somewhere in the neighborhood Of Santa
Rosa But when he left the university
he left an undying name. for the natural
amphitheater he happened upon will al
ways bear his name, even if there is an
artificial theater on the spot. Mr.. Weed,
ln full academic regalia, said to the au-
dience:
When the class Of - reached the last term
OF their senior year the manner Of observing
class day became q matter Of considerable mo
ment, for there were many in the class who de-
sired 70 break away from the traditional OBJ
servance and institute what they believed 10 be
q more pleasing ceremony betOre ms time
the celebrations were held in coed canyon
little distance east OF the agricultural building
The programme consisted OF q class history,
class poem, a prophecy. and. dispensanOns
These were, as usual. very amusing TO those
who were intimately acquainted with the mem-
bers OF the class, but there was little Of real
interest for the invited guests, since api
probation Of the humor IN large meas
ure deDended on a knowledge Of the goings
and comings and various escapSdes Of the grad
yates. The dispensation was made as ludicroUs
exercises that was in the least dramatic. The
dispensator. who usually appeared IN some
comical garb. strOve 20 present each member
OF the class something indicative OF that stu-
dents peculiarities or shortcomings ] refnem-
Der 10 have seen a set Of boxing gloves given
10 a student who had shown a very pugnacious
spirit during his college life: another had the
mask Of donkey's head placed over his own,
and one who had paid particular attention 10
the military department given q toy sword
In presenting these gifts the dispensator en-
larged upon the salient characteristics Of his
victims and offered such advice as he saw ct
usually humorous or satirical. Such in brief
were the class day exercises Of old-very sim
pie. and. 10 those on the inside. very amusing
WEED TELLS THINGS
But the class OF % had in mind the pre~en-
tation OF a spectacular performance in which
all the class should take part in costume
For this purpose the old place was ill adapted
IT was not large enough. and only those in
favored positions were able to hear and see
with any decree Of comfort The necessitv ~
finding q better place was evident. and
though unauthorized, I started out TO do So
Fortune LED me 70 the spot on which this