Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-06
DEGREES CONFERRED
George Washington University
Commencement.
ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS
Exercises Held in Morning for First
Time in Years.
CONTINENTAL HALL THE SCENE
Principal Address Delivered by Rev.
DR.. Stafford-Names of Graduates
and Prize Winners.
ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS
CONTINENTAL HALL THE SCENE

President Charles w. Needham of George
/ Washington University this morning con-
ferred degrees upon nearly 800 graduates
| of that institution in all of its departments
of study, before an audience made up OF
| relatives and friends, the members of the
faculties and special guests in Continental
| Hall, 18th street. 1t was the first time in
| many years that the commencement exer-
| eises of the institution had been held In
he morning, with all the departments to-
gether for that purpose. According to DR..
| Needham 1t marked the beginning of q
larger life for the university
Inc interior of Continental Hall was an
| propriately decorated Directly In the rear
! OF PRESIDENT Needham's seat on the center
| or the platform was suspended a large full
,engtn portrait of George Washington.
| Banked around the front of the platform
| and massed in profusion about the rostrom
/ We're the bouquets OF flowers sent by reIa-
| tives and friends for distribution to the
| grndua tes.
The university ensign was attached to
| an immense banner of the stars and stripes
over the heads of the candidates for de-
| grees. who occupied the seats of honor In
The center of the hall on the first floor.
Large Audience Present.
| Long before the exercises began the por-
| ton of the hall reserved for the friends
| and relatives of the graduates and of the
| faculty was filled. When the orchestra
of the Marine Band, under the leadership
| of Lieut.. Santelmann. had played several
| preliminary selections the enthusiasm of
| the audience was aroused by the entrance
! of the commencement procession At the
| head was President Needham and Rev
| DR.. d. J. Stafford, pastor of St Patrick's
| Roman Catholic Church. who was the
| speaker of the occasion Following were
| the trustees of the university led nv tboir
chairman and the chaplain. The official
guests of the university, the deans of the
faculties, the faculties and the candidates
appeared in the order named. All in the
! procession except the candidates proceed
| ed to the platform
| Rev. pr. Samuel H. Greene pastor of
| Calvary Baptist Church. offered the open
Ing prayer. DR.. Needham then presented
| DIR. Stafford. who delivered the commence
ment address.
Two Sets of Principles.
Dr. Sta ford sad in part:
Two sets of principles contend for mas
| terry In the world today. One positive and
| the other negative; one constructive and
the other destructive. One stands for the
family, the sacredness of marriage. respect
for constituted authorty-the other against
them; against the family, society and con-
stituted authority. The two schools are
going on to their logical development The
result of one, If it prevail will be the de-
struction of society-of the other It's saliva
ton. But the line of demarcation is dis
tinctly drawn. the world over, in England,
France, Germany, Italy, all Europe and in
| America. With the last are concerned.
As matter of fact, every citizen stands
for one or the other. as does every insti-
tuition of learning. 1t is. therefore, most
important question to consider.
America is Gods greatest gift to man.
1t is the fairest opportunity that liberty has
ever had upon this earth. Out of 1t should
grow a civilization the most perfect the
world has hepOn,tup
more so with the lapse of time and confer
ring upon unnumbered millions untold
blessings. But in order that America may
fulfill that providential mission we must
see to it that the right set of principles pre-
vail. and that in our schools and colleges
the right sort of citizens are formed; 9TH
erwise we cannot with any degree of con-
| fdence, look to the future.
Animated by High Principles
L THE founders of this government were
animated by these high principles and re-
| lied upon religion and morality to perpet-
uate our institutions. For Washington in
| his farewell address, and Congress In the
| instrument for the government of the ter
ritory northwest of the Ohio river speak
| of religion and morality and knowledge.
| and that without these we should be in
| great danger. Fortunately. in multi
| plicity of religions there could be no estab-
| lished church. But the founders did not
| mean by that the Interpretation that the
secularists put upon it when they seek to
| construe it opposition on the part of the
| state to religion. They wished that re
| ligion, morality anad schools and the
| means OF education should be forever en-
! couraged.
| And so must every citizen today take
| that position. For whilst. a Catholic, /
| cannot consistently and directly advocate
| the spread and propagation of Protestant
| ism. nor the Protestant directly the spread
and propagation of Catholicism. yet as
IL tlns. I0rnt to- Mt nr
| can and must recognize that every religion
which teaches the love of God and the love
| of man, my brother, is beneicent force
| in the community. That every religion
| which upholds authority and maintains the
sacredness of property, the home the fam-
| lily stands barrier against anarchy, as
| order, iawlessness and crime.
"And [ care not who does the work. so
| 1t be done; whose leads in the work
| of making good citizens so we be led
whether II be Harvard or Yale or Prince
ton or Columbia or Georgetown, the Catho-
| lie University or George Washington. AS
an American | am willing to follow any
man who gIorifies the country and call him
master Let there be no sectional hatred,
| no odum theologfcum between the churches
no class divisions. Let us repress greed
and rapine everywhere, and standing upon
the broad basis of a common love for
common country, look with confidence 10
the future. The responsibility of every
American citizen is great. the responsibility
of every American institution is greater.
We are all responsible to the future for
these principles bound to improve this, the
greatest of all opportunities
How Work Should Be Done.
How is the work to be done? Only by
proper system of education; by instilling
into the mind and heart of the individual,
individually, respect for authority. law
and order And each individual muss make
his own personal. Individual work. We
have fine theories enough legislation
enough and laws and systems enough. but
what are they all unless concerted and In
dividualixed? In the last analysis no legis-
iation can reach crime and 10 power pun
ish 1t. All the power OF the G-merican peo-
pie could not punish the criminal who
struck down our beloved Mckinley, or the
bastard who yesterday attempted the life
of Alphonso and his bride. There is only
one way to teach him. and that Is to reach
his heart, and one way to reach his heart
-by instilling correct principles In his
youth.
This. then. Is the glorious work your
college Ia doing, and this the glorious privi-
lege of the university man--to carry every
where into society the principles OF ex-
aited patriotism and civic virtue That one
should be ignorant who has capacity for
knowledge-thfs call tragedy said Car
lyle. but that one should have knowlednse