Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-03-22
PRESIDENT ELIoT's BIRTHDAY.
Harvard Colleges Head Passes Sew.
entieth Milestone,

| Cambridge. Mass. March o1-The grad
yates ana underSradua of Harvard
! niVersitN united, today. in observing the
,vth birthday liy of President Charles vii
| liam Eliot, as we'll as the completion of
his . years as the head of the university
Following the gift by the faculty. yes
terday, OF silver loving cup. the grad
yates sent MN an engrossed address ex-
! tehdlnS congratulations. which was PIE
scented. today. at 4 mass meeting of the
students of the university in the Harvard
union, where, at the same time. he was in
| formed that the students had subscribed
5000 for portrait of himself and Mrs
Eliot to be hung in the Union,
In addition President Eliot received to-
DAY, conSratulatory messages from per
sons prominent in the educational liter
airy. political and business line of the
| world
In responding to the address. which WAS
| headed BY President Roosevelt and signed
| by nearly 10000 Harvard graduates Pres
| ident Eliot's voice faltcred and he seem
cd at a loss for words. Recovering him
self. he spoke of the happiness of the
| past two days, of which the meeting. he
said, was the climax, and that he had
heen overwhelmed by the expressions OF
affection. Previous to the presentation of
| the address President Eliot held a reccp-
| ton on the platform of tie Harvard
| Union, where more than 1000 Harvard
| men. nearly all undergraduates. had an
opportunity of graspng his hand
At length James Burgess, president of
| tht stHlti llsiHS- Itplttl LOT silence ana
| then called Ior cheers for President and
Mrs. Eliot. Hardly had their echoes ccas-
| cd when Mr.. Burgess announced that Il
| fund of SJDn0 had been raised among the
| undergraduates to defrTIy expenses of por-
| traits OF President and Mrs. Eliot to he
placed i'll the Union. Thomas Knowlton,
| ~. then read the address conEratulatini.
| President Eliot and beginning with the
words:
Dear Mr. President: As with undimin-
! ished power you pass the age Of 20, we
We're called to be president of Harvard
College; and ending with fearless. JUST
and wise. OF deep and simple faith. Sc
| rene in afi!ction, restrained in success.
| unsupported by any man OF self interest,
you command the admiration of all men
and the gratitude and loyalty Of the sons
of Harvard. Charles William Eliot,
| LID"
The address was signed by $500 grad
yates and is bound in leather and makes
two volumes.
1t was some time before President Eliot
could find words for response. At length
he said
Il have had two happy days This is a
good climax. In the first % years of my
service | was conscious of Il spirit which.
| to say the least. did not agree with ne.
both in the faculty and in the board OF
overscers. But in the last Il years the
attitude has changed and during the past
two days have been overwhelmed by OK
pressons of affection. If I were to sum
up in a few words the expressions which
have pleased me most. l would quote the
last words of the inscription of the low
in, cup presented me by the faculty. III
had been known for all these, my pas
SicnS for Justice, progress and for truth
are well pleased. For what does universe
ty life stand for if not-for Justice if not
for progress, and what justice and pro-
GrcsS is possible without truth?'
After the IT ception President and Mrs.
Eliot, who had witnessed the ceremonies
from the gallery. returned to their homo,
where they spent a quiet evening.