The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-24

dents. 1t bears on one side the. inscription:
SCOT BUTLER.
92-PRESIDENT-19O4
THE FACULTY
BUTLER COLLEGE.
On the other side are the lines from
"Auld Lang Syne:'
Wen take a cup o. kindness yet
For auld lang syne.
March twenty-third, nineteen hundred
four"
In his talk TO the students DR.. Butler, in
a voice often trembling with emotion, spoke
of his long and pleasant connection with
the college, of which he has been president
for twelve years, and with which he has
been connected since its inception. He
spoke In part as follows:
THE other day, in one of the papers, |
noticed cartoon representing an old and
world-weary pachyderm, with Wrlnkled
hide calloused at the knees, belted round
with these cabalistic letters: CT. o. p In
front of him stood the form OF one who
has lately broken into the political Situa-
ton, representing, perhaps, yellow journal
ism and the power of money In politics. He
was engaged in plastering labels on the
proboscis of our ancient friend. and under
meath was this legend: Why don't you
check my trunk?'
II am going to stay here, but feel very
much that way myself
Without consideration, a few mornings
ago, and 1t was done in order to put off
an evil hour, 1 said something about
speaking some valedictory words this
the thought of that ever since. 1t has con-
stantly occurred TO me that the word
valedictory was not well chosen. 1t is
one of those empty things TO which the
words vanitas vanitorum allude.
VALEDICTORY NOT APPROPRIATE.
There is something in this I do not
understand. J There is something in this
business this morning that appeals to me,
whether it is valedictory or what it is.
ally. but there is farewell to a certain
relation 1 have held to the students and
to the faculty here. do not mean only
you who are here this morning. because
back of you and over you ! see throng-
ing faces of those who were here before
you, thrust forward out of the dimness of
the distance.
so, whether this be a valedictory or
whatever ii may be, IL has seemed TO me
that Ii is fitting that L mark this occasion
with some words, however senseless, how
ever useless, however purposeless they be.
I'm life there are beginnings and there
are endings. and there is what lies between.
And this for ME is the end of some things,
and so l want to mark 1t. AS to myself.
| have been connected with this college
for long time. My name Is in the first cat
alogue that was issued by the institution,
in 1856.
1T has been in almost every catalogue
since. So you see that this college is
large part of my life. l have this to say:
1 believe truly | do not know what
might have been or what l might have
done in some other sphere of life, but
this l do know. that whatever l am now.
/ owe it to the opportunity that this col
lege has afforded me.
Personal HISTORY INTERVIEWER.
"And then. too. all the years of this his
tory are interviewer with my personal his
tory. / remember as a child when the first
burrows were opened wherein should be
laid the foundations of the first building
when 1 amused myself with other boys
running through these burrows. / entered
the primary school and through the pre-
paratory school into the college. So it
is connected with my childhood and with
my youth.
During my connection with the college
my children were born. God has been good
TO me there, too-seven in all. One he took
away TO be little sister of the angels
My children were educated In this college
all but one. So you see IL is q large part
OF my personal life. There is nothing sad
about IL for me. IL is all good, and this is
part of the lesson / want to give you
that life is all good, beginning, ending and
all that is between.
AWAITING SOMETHING GRANDER.
1T is true the first gasp of life To the
newborn babe is one of protest and the
last expression of our life is often one of
pain. The way that lies between has much
of trouble and of sorrow. but it is all good.
1T all makes for righteousness, for strength,
for holiness If. under God, we use it right
ly. To-day is great tomorrow shall be
greater. The sun is shining brightly now
After a while it will rise to greater bright
ness. We should always be optimistic.
Not long since, riding on the cars
met man well known through the State.
lie has made his name great in literature.
/ He has been successful. He said 10 me:
| L am always thinking that there is some
grander thing going TO hapen; 1 am look
ing out for IL all the time That is the
way To live.
| Professor Brown, in presenting the low
| ing cup, said in part:
Mr.. Butler, has il been twenty-five years
/ since l first entered your class and read
the beautiful essay on Friendship And
/ ter of a century of most intimate friendship
/ with you? Is Ii possible that in twenty five
/ years there could have been finer or better
/ ties than those which have bound me to you
/ and 10 this institution
1t has not been the idea to make a bill
/ board college, a school of advertisement.
! but school of high ideals, and we have
/ been held TO that IDEAL more by Mr. Butler
i than by any other
! We had hoped. all of here, that our
/ retiring president might have published
/ many of the delightful ESSAYS that we have
/ heard from him. We felt that he has that
genuine literary power, that power that is
/ possessed by very few men, and now we
/ hope that in these years of peace and quiet
! study, the fruitage of twelve years of
/ presidency of the college. might be a pub.
lication of many of the beautiful thoughts
/ he has uttered TO us.