The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-16
Public Welcome to the New
President Of the Uni
vcrsity.
MEETING IN THE PUBLIC HALL
Dr.. James Morris Page, Chair
man of the Faculty, Transfers
the Administrative Duties.

man as president Of tho University of
Virginia was given In the public hall this
evening in the presence ofsthe beard &"f
visitors and large assemblage made up
| OF professors, students and visitors.
Dr.. James Morris Page. the last chair
man OF the faculty, presided, and the IN,
vocation was made by DR.. George l..
PetrIe, - the Presbyterian Churcn. This
speech OF notification was made by Rec-
tor Jones, and DR.. Page was the arokca.
man for the University professors and
Dr. Page gave cordial expression, to
their pleasure in welcoming pr. A!1er-
man, and cited the conditions leading up
TO me de! M1sTAKRN e oP TsASi5
Or. Page then said
many quarters the mistaken len op 3aKen
by tho visitors contrary to the desire OF
the faculty. But It Is a historical fact.
nHn nute BOOK That at in oetober 1902 when
the recent discussion with regard to the
creation Of the office Of pres dent had Just
w VIZ in; g majority resolution recon.
mendlng to the visitors the creation. 81
that Office. i mention this fact in order 2 d,
faculty opposed the appointment OF g.
president. The faculty had long eroa,n,esd
under the difficulties and {vexatlons which, lsl
whole body little business details which
elsewhere were expeditiously and salts.
of 6y one enn1nn
seems e. have been held BY some that
the faculty were moved to recommend to
the Visitors the creation Of the on &c
had declared Itself in the University of
late years. On the. contrary. the opinion
extent, that OF the vlsitors.that this uni;
yersity needs q 9president, was based IN !
PGn m
plexity within the ,lastsdecade and half
When e the m Vas 1sss' yopnger had
proved too cumbersome to meet the al
tered Leo coa ST - AZ, r,s,s7vz
AS I have said, we do not yconsi der that
this University has been @ w. ctim of
arrested deyelopSmena5 matter
lated has more than doubled within the
last fifteen t. ye;ars record
over, the financial Condition Of the Uni:
rfsN raf pSs than and and
finally, with ali reverence for our pre-
decessors and their achievements. do
work has been done here Of late by
Old days days. Willie the humber Of courses
j
Il am not willing for you to imag CINE
| that our president comes to a Univers sty
the facultyof which opposed the creation
Of his otf~e, or e. one In moribund or
|retrogrcss.ve condition.
Dr.. Page closed by formally delivering
to Dr.. Alderman the administrative duties
| of the University. Il SS, ssa55s
DR.. ALDERNfAN's REPLY.
Dr.s Alderman spoke in acceptance Of
the honor as follows:
II have heard with interest and with
profound encouragement the words Of
welcome OF cooperation and OF coun-i
sci. which have been spoken to me to-.
day. shall weigh and heed them as
words of wisdom and helpfuness- I5ac-3
cepttt this great office as one who takes
on great responsibility and opportunity,
following the dear call of duty and SER
vice. & +; 3388775# f lsts; VI
81 searched my heart, as was proper
for me to do, to try to find II this was
indeed the task for me. I may claim.
Therefore. to come to you after patient
thought. with an honest purpose and a
large desire for usefulness, unmoved, I
believe by small ambitions, ;unfretted by
iii will to any soul. and uninfluenced by
any sort Of fear or favor.
.My eyes behold the difficulties. my
sclf-knowledge informs me of Thousand
shortcomings, and yet I undertake the
| task with something OF that pride OF toll
and hope Of achievement that warns the
| heart Of the healthy man who goes forth
under the clear sun to do the days work
honestly.
EXPECTS COOPERATION.
I feel about me the strength OF the
faculties Of this University, whose mes
sage delivered. by their able representa-
tive, profoundly appreciated group
OF able. large-minded. unsehsh men
who have lived the life of devotion to q
cause, The most impressive thing to
me about this University, or any univer-
sty, is not It's physical setting or its
body OF traditions, or Its so-called spirit.
but the unbroken stream OF human de-
yotion and love and service which gem
eratlons Of men have poured into lt--from
the great founder. whose fading life 1t
glorihed and strengthened to our col
leagues and friends OF to-day, whose hair
has whtened in Its service, but whose
hearts have the deathless youth that
comes to those who serve the young.
Our vlrlle democracy. with Its peril Of
vulgar strength, has been refined and
ennobled by the example Of such men
and by the spectacle OF such Institutions
living on forever and never lacking such
| service.
come to you as the executive head
| Of this University.
The office In America, and peculiarly
here, Is n new creation OF modern needs
and almost insuperaby difficult to fill.
There is a flye-fold relation which q
president must bear to boardn and facul'
| ties. to students and society and schol-
arship, that makes demand upon his sym.
pathy and his wisdom SO. widely variant
as to render 1t Impossible for him toact
| without error and without frequent crlt-.
iclsm and charge Of dupllcity II Is COM
monty alleged against college presidents,
for instance. that they ara liars. \ hope
| 1T Is not wholly immodest In me to say
| that this Is q toerable hasty generaliza-
ton, like the famous one or the Psalms
I lst's. a president can only avoid, mis-
1 takes by cunningly doing nothing II an
| institution would escape tho stagnntion.
| therefore, OF a do-nothlng president Gun
president faineant) II must be willing to
/ have patience with his errors, His chair
commonly thought ofsas the most stable
l p,ece of academic furniture, has been
Il somewhere described as the rocking