The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-06-17
those Of the University of North Da.


TO the graduates and students of
the university owe debt of graft
tude for personal loyalty, amounting
often to person devotion, which can
: ever repay nor adequately express.
w. to many college presidents,
" hin believe, has it been given
l. e, in such generous measure,
as l. mas been given to me, the in
timacs, the confidence and, may l
venture to believe, the affection of
their boys and girls-for that is the
way best love to think of them.
Above all other possessions, save
those Of family and home, treasure
and shall ever treasure the express
sions of loyalty and affection which
come to me from time to time from
those toward whom l have stood In
the relation of teacher and college
president
A Sacred Trust.
And now, sadly yet most grateful
ly, do resign to my successor the
sacred trust which l have held so
long-a trust which challenges at the
outset all the splendid powers of en-
dowment and OF training which he
brings to its discharge. Most fortu-
nately he brings to his task the en-
thusiasm and courage of youth, the
broadest and most thorough training,
a ripe experience in educational work
and commendable ambition and de-
termination to succeed in the high
task which he Is undertaking. l be-
speak for him in most generous meas
ure the loyal support of the citizens
of the state, of the trustees and
faculty, of the undergraduate STU
dents. May the richest blessings Of
heaven ever rest upon our beloved
university and upon its new presi-
dent, DR.. Franklin L. McVey.
thank you."
Commencement Exercises Beautiful
No more magnificent spectacle than
that presented at the beautiful COM
mencement exercises at the univer-
sity this morning could be wrought
by the most vivid imagination. Nine
ty-two young men and women, at the
completion of their work in the uni
versity of North Dakota, were usher
ed into the broader and harder uni
versity of life. And, too, it was the
last time that President Webster
Merrifleld, as president of the insti-
tuition of which he has been SO i'm
portant factor for the past quarter
of century would participate in
such an event. and this fact added
importance to the occasion. +
The audience which was assembled
was representative of every section
OF the great commonwealth Of which
the university is the leading educa-
tional institution. Parents, brothers,
sisters and friends of the graduates,
the university and of President Mer-
rifield, had come together, some to
express their wishes of best success
for the members of the graduating
class and others to say farewell to
the retiring president.
Merrifield to the Graduates
The address to the graduating class
was made by President Merrifield, and
he spoke as follows:
"It is curious and suggestive
spectacle which we are witnessing to-
day, body of young men and young
women going forth as graduates from
an institution of higher learning sup
ported entirely by great common
wealth which stands as the perfect
type of modern democracy. This in
stitution is supported by the state for
the immediate benefit Of less than
one-half of one per cent of it's entire
population, and the same is true of
every state university in the land.
We hear much of late of the vocation
alizing OF the courses in our high
schools, colleges and universities as if
the chief intent of the tax payers in
supporting these institutions were the
better to enable the comparative hand
full of students who attend them to
make a living. If this were true we
should have the incongruous spectacle