Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-25
AT B0WD0|N.
Dedication Of New Library
Was Wednesdays Feature.
Hundreds of Alumni Back at Their
Old College.
Presidents Reception and Glass and
Fraternity Reunions.

General Hubbard, 81, of New York,
was todays most important feature,
though with it during the day and even
| ing were many of the enjoyable events
which are characteristic of a Bowdoin
commencement, and which make the
week so pleasant to all the sons, old and
young, of the famous old college 1t has
not been ideal commencement weather
| by any means. The day opened cold
and cloudy and the rain of the after
noon interfered with the dedication pro-
gram. But everybody had a good time
and the hundreds of returning alumni
| in their class and fraternity reunions
had little care for the weather.
| Bowdoin is famous for the manner in
which it's graduates return at the COM
| mencement season to renew old ties and
re-affirm their allegiance to the beloved
college. Last year there were over 1000
alumni hack, and while the number falls
short of that, this year, there are,
nevertheless, hundreds of them here
and more will come, tomorrow. They
| come from every section of the State,
and Brockton, New York, Washington,
Chicago, Minneapolis, Baltimore, Buffa
| 10, Ohio, Nebraska and other sections
| of the South and West are represented,
| and there are even several from the
| Philippines, members of the large party
of BoWdoin boys who went there to
| teach, two years ago. In the number
are men prominent in every branch of
| life, including the chief justice of the
United States and of Maine, members
of both branches of Congress, eX-GoV-
errors, judges, generals, mayors, mil
lionaires, leaders in the professions and
in business in many states and a host
of young graduates whom it is hard
to distinguish from the undergraduates
All of these are here, scores and hun
dreds of them, shaking hands right and
left, and holding informal reunions ev-
erywhere and at all times of day and
night.
After the festivities Of Class day and
the Commencement ball the younger
element was not around very early, this
morning. Partly for this reason and
partly on account of the raw and cloudy
skies which made the cosy corners and
open fires in the dormitorieS and chap
| ter houses very alluring, the usual
! Wednesday morning ball game between
the college nine and 4 picked nine from
the alumni was omitted. This was the
first time in many years that the game
had not been played. Several of the
college nine had gone home, however
and there seemed to be no leader to
rally the alumni for q game. However
baseball was quite q common topic of
conversation and everybody had a
wealth of praise for the work of the
nine in capturing the 1908 champions
ship. And about every alumnus found
time to so through the pines down to
Whittier field and view the progress of
work upon the grandstand, the gift of
General Hubbard. 1t will be u grand
stand without a peer on any athletic
field in the country and will be ready
for use in September. Its cost is about
$32O and it is built wholly of stone,
brick and iron.
One feature of the morning was the
annual meeting of Phi Beta Kappa, the
honorary scholarship society to which
an election is so highly priced. The
meeting was held in Adams hall and
was largely attended. Following are
the men admitted to membership from
1903: Clement +. Robinson, Bruns-
wick; Philip G.. Clifford, Portland; Will
liam M. Houghton, Brunswick; Leon Y.
Walker. oxford; Scott c. w. Simpson,
Portland: Geo. H. Slower, brunswick;
Merrill blanchard, Maynard, Mass;
Mass: Philip T. Harris, East Machias;
Geo. b. Farnsworth, Bethel; Seldom o.
Martin, Foxcroft, and Harris G. Bar
Rows Augusta. The following were
taken from 1904 on the basis of rank
for the first three years: John NJ.
Brdgham, Dexter: Merton A. Bryan.,
Cumberland Mills; George w Burpcc,
Houlton; Marshall p. Cram, Brunswick:
Samuel T. Dana, Portland and Eugene
F. D. Hathaway, Wellesley, Mass.
The rain which fell in the afternoon
prevented the holding of the exercises
on the campus before the new library
building as was planned, and so they
were held within it's walls at 3 p. NJ.
The great delivery room on the first
floor and the hall above it were filled to
their utmost capacity and the speak
ers were on the landing Of the broad
stairway. Payne's I'd Regiment Band
of Lewiston. furnished music. Presi-
dent Hyde called the gathering to or
der and the opening prayer was made
by Rev George NJ. Adams, D. D., "A.
| of Auburndale, Mass, member of the
| board of overseers. Then General
Hubbard arose to make his speech Of
presentation. 1t was several minutes
before the crowd gave him chance to
speak and the applause and cheers
were again and again renewed. In the
face of the splendid demonstration, the
great New York lawyer and railroad
magnate, blushed like a schoolboy. If
General Hubbard has one quality more
prominent than his generosity and his
! loyalty to his college, it is his modesty.
He spoke with almost no reference to
his own part in the building of the
beautiful library building. but dwelt
upon the great value of the library and
its need of permanent and fitting
home He said that the building is not
given to the college but to the library
with the college as its custodian He
Continued on page %