The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-09-16
WAS A GALA EVENT
COnvOCatiOn Exercises al
Whitman College.
LAST NIGHT AkD THIS MORNING
Splendid Musical Program, Rendered
and an Excellent Address Given
by Prof. Hendricks.
LAST NIGHT ANG THIS MORNING
Under circumstances the most aus

picious in its long history Whitman
college was opened by convocation eX
ercises last evening and chapel this
morning. The chapel was crowded {
the doors last night and this morning
a very large attendance hOnOred the
| first chapel exercises of the year.
The program was opened last nigh1
by piano solo by Professor Lovewel
rendered in his usual faultless style
Rev. Lamb read scripture and Rev
Austin Rice offered prayer.
| Thomas J. Pencil. the new head
of the vocal department of Whitman
| conservatory, made his first appear
ance before a WalIa Walla audience
in a vocal solo. On the strength OF
the numerous fattering reports OF
his singing Mr.. Pencil was warmly
received when he appeared and his
singing last night amply justified
everything that has been said Of him
! He is the complete master Of one CT
those brilliant baritone voices OF
which an audience never tires and
promises to be q great fayOrite. He
was literally encCred.
Another prospective favorite is
Miss Grace Jones, the new assistant
in the piano department. In Wagner's
Feuer Zauber last night she showed
fine command of her instrument, but
whatever her technique may have
been, it was forgotten in the wonder
ful feeling which cnaracterizes her
playing. Her playing has a sympa-
thetic tone that holds her audience
spellbOund.
Nothing more could be said of Pro
fessor Fischer's rendition Of Wal
Tiers Preislied on the violin than that
it was dOre in his best style.
Professor Hendrick, principal OF
Whitman academy. gave the annual
conyocaJion address. although as ex-
planned by DR.. Penrose in introduce
ing Mr.. Hendrick he had been asked
to give this address only a few days
previous, he held his audience in de
lighted attention for twenty minutes
as he impressed upon them the nee
essity Of the cultivation Of the poetic
side Of ones nature.
Few people really understand the
function OF poetry. Poetry is not 2
mere exhibition Of desterity like walk
Ing the tightgOpe or q superhuOus in
tellectuaI ornament, like the useless
bric-a-Drac OF a drawing room, it is
something essential to the full deyel-
Opment OF the human spirit. This
then is the function of poetry-to
communicate thought accompanied by
emotion, TO give vent to feeling. The
mind Of this age runs too much in the
direction of the scientific. 1t is nee
essary to complete man thai the I'M
aginative faculties should be culti-
waited as much as those Of the social
ed region of practically which strips
the ideal of its beauty and reduces
everything to a dead level of fact,
and which affects to scorn sentiment
as fit only for the weaker mind.
ITO the poet belongs alone the IL
cense to sIothe his thoughts or his
dreams in language which is more
than subtle and often with an indefin-
iteness little less than absolutely mys
tifying
"A great. a noble usue, to which
poetry has been applied is, that it has
been made the beautiful medium
whereby to convey prophetic utter
ance Many are the instances of the
strength OF prophetic poetry.
The pen, the brush and the chisel
are kin-all offspring of the mother
art. why dissociaJe them. Painting
is mute poetry, and poetry is speak
ing picture. said Simonides. How
eIevating and refining is the influence
of good poetry. The knowledge o
good and great poetry is q sinew K
the building Of great character
whenever the soul feels deeply or !!
stirred by a great thought the poetic
form Of u,terance becomes at one,
The most natural for is Interpretation
, Pages Of philosophy often accomplish
no more than one little fragment @
poetry.
There is something to be said II
regard to the spirit in which the stu
dent approaches the study Of poetry
In literature at least the learner mus
bow to authority, be receptive an
docile He should come before tn
I MASTERPIECES Of literature with 2,
open mind eager to learn, more in
tent on beauties than defects, tryin
to see and feel what the best judge
have seen and felt
After the close Of the program a
informal reception was held and OIL
and new students and faculty becam