The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-30
DR DENNY DELIVERS
 BACCALAUREATE ADDRESS
President Abercrombie Presents the DipIomas-University Trustees Are
 In Session-Land Commissioner
 Robinson Brown Makes Report.
BY R. T. MAJORS.

pr ns is NA6Oh0s
 Tuscaloosa, May -9.-(Speclal.) At 12:sO today the seventy-sixth session of the university formally closed. While in spec tacular events and in attendance it was not up to the festal celebration of last year, yet as an epoch making year in the right noble history of the institution, it probably exceeded all of its predecessors. Whatever it's significance now however, 1t is a thing of the past. The walls that have been thrilling and throbbng with the bright and purposeful life of the stu dents are now echoing to the sliding of trunks, the calls of the hack drivers and the shouts of farewell incident to tho preparation for leave taking. There is always mingled on these occasions with the joy and enthusiasm of attacking new life and of speeding to home friends, a feeling of sadness at leaving the old col lege life. and this is distinctively fea- ture at the wind up of each commence ment.
 The procession was formed this morning about 10:90. and marched into Clark hall to the inspiring strains of the University Alabama ma ch. At it's head walked Gov. Conner and President Abercrombie. They were followed by Dr. Denny, the orator of the occasion, and Dean Palmer. Then followed the distinguished board of trus- tees and faculty of the institution, and last the graduates, clothed in the classic cap and gown.
 There is something imposing about this stately procession that is formed only on commencement day, and the onlookers catch somewhat of the significance of the occasion when it marches in with au- gust decorum. That the graduates now don the cap and gown is also a distinct improvement over the former custom, and to those who in the past received their diplomas in the prosaic civilian garb, feel that they were robbed of some of the dignity of this all important event.
 Baccalaureate Address.
 The baccalaureate address was deliv- cred this year by Dr. George H. Denny, president of Washington and Lee uni versity. Although of shorter length than such addresses usually are, it was yet one that was teeming with the high pur- poses and high ideals for which all thor ough education stands. Dr. Denny is himself a fitting example of the possi- bilties of a young man who has under stood the meaning and taken advantage of the benefits of college education. When he was elected president of the great university at which he is, as stated by Dr. Abercrombie in introducing him, he was but a1 years old, and at this time his reputation is as wide as the country. After some felicitous greetings from as a representative of Virginia to the uni versity and the citizens of Alabama, he stated that the burden of his remarks would be upon "The Insistent Demand and Need of College Bred Men" He stated that he could spend more than the time allotted him in discussing such d subject in any one phase; but that he would be forced to select only few of the phases of life in which this de- mand was insistent. T he greatest field of his usefulness perhaps" said the speaker, Ties in the holding of good and correct public sentiment
 He elaborated this idea in showing how that legislative enactments, laws and economic conditions were directly the re- suit of the prevailing public sentiment. | he stated was shown in the prevailing ideas of patriotism and the limited visions of those pos sessed of such ideas. He then called at tention to what he termed the "geograph- ical idea" of patriotism, which reached it's limit at the city or county or state boun- dary; of the "hysterical or emotional pa which was the salve of caprice or prejudice; over and against such ideas he set the conservative or logical con clusioas of the we'll trained college bred mind and showed them that the hopes of a well developed and well conducted gov- ernment rested with this character of ability. Another insistant need of college men, said Dr. Denny, was for the purpose of combating the idea that ma terial and commercial advancement was the highest aim of a man or a country.
 He illustrated the childlike conception some of the more ignorant classes have | of the real use and purpose of the state, | and showed the smallness of such view point, showed that a state or govern | ment became, in nature and qualities, the i fac similie of the men who made 1t. Dr. | Dr. Denny spoke of the need of col l ege ideas in raising the ethical stand | ards which obtain in our states and else