Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-12
President Taft Delivers Ad-
dress in College Costume.
PAYS TRIBUTE TO TEACHER
Installation Today of President
Shanklin at Wesleyan University.
PROMINENT GUESTS PRESENT
Senator Root and President Hadley
Of Yale Also Among the
Speakers.

MIDDLETOWN. Conn. November H.
After having spent nearly a month In the
southland a day in Washington-Pres-
ident Taft came to New England today.
to find a welcome as demonstrative in ita
way as any during his long period OF
travel. The Presidents visit to Middle
town was primarily to attend the installa-
tion of DIR. William Arnold Shankln as
president of Wesleyan University. The
city, however, took to itself a large share
of honor and prepared an elaborate mil
itary and civic parade, in which Mr.. Taft
participated.
Vice President Sherman came with
President Taft from Washington on board
the car Mayfiower. The party arrived at
$50 am. Shortly before o'clock this
evening President Taft will leave for
Hartford to dedicate the new state ar
mory there and to lead the state ball in
the new building tonight
Eminent Educators Present.
The Wesleyan installation ceremonies
were held this morning in Middlesex The
ater. and President Taft's address. which
he delivered extemporaneously. came next
to last on the long program. Eminent
educators. university and college presi-
dents from all sections Of the country
attended. The fact that DIR. Shankln
came from the west to take charge OF an
old eastern university had much to do
with calling out a large representation
from the eastern colleges as an evidence
of hospitable welcome
President Hadley of Yale, DR.. Abram
W. Harris DIR. NJ. w. Stryker, Arthur +.
Vanderbilt, Senator Root Of New York
and Stephen Olin were among the speak
ers at the ceremonies of installation.
President Taft appeared in cap and
gown to deliver his address, and was fol-
lowed by DIR. Shanklin. who delivered .
formal inaugural address.
President Taft's Address.
President Taft. in his address. paid .
tribute to the teacher as the college pre-.
ident, and decried the idea that the proper
man to head an institution OF learning
was one who knew the value Of Q dollar
and how to get it."
As all the other speakers had DONE the
| President sat uncovered until he arose
| to speak. and then put on the mortar
board cap which formed a part of the
raiment he wore In token of his university
degrees. The President said that after
| the many words Of congratulation and fe-
hcitation which had come from the rep
resentatives Of SO many colleges and uni
Dr.. Shanklin a great many years. he. felt
as though he were uttering words as an
ahen.
1T has not been my good fortune" he
said. addressing DIR. Shanklin. TO have
known you long. 1 remember that when
We met /. for another presidency, was
trying to teach the people how to use
their judgment. You will remember that
1 was talking then and II seems to me
| that 1 have been talking ever since.
Therefore, IL there is any lack of that
polish and elegance which have charac-
terized what has occurred here today in
| what I may have to say you will under.
| stand 1t from what you saw at the time
Comparison of Powers.
Comparison has been made here today
Of the powers which you will exercise as
president OF Wesleyan and which / may
exercise as President OF the United States.
have had some experience In college
government In an incidental way. and I
want to assure you that the powers which
you will exercise are such you choose
to exercise. And it is well that 1t should
be SO. l would not advocate or be under
stood as advocating change in the Con-
stitution of the United States. 1t is ex-
cellent. But In the control of an institu-
| ton Hike this, in order to work out its
destiny and its purpose, great power
should be vested in its president"
The President spoke Of the great influ-
ence that the college professor has I'm
shaping the careers of young men who
| ence upon the future life of their coun-
| try. He spoke also of the college spirit
| "a thing hard to define. he declared, but
which. taking its form and influence
largely from the personal character and
influence of the head Of the institution.
stands through life to men who have
come under its influence as a restraint
from evil and an inspiration for good.
There is nothing" continued the Presi-
dent. (which prompts a man to endeavor
to keep In a proper course 50 much
the desire to stand well among the men
with whom he went to college for four
years, who developed from youth to man
hood In the same class and under the
same influence with him."
Large and Small Colleges.
The President briefly referred to the
discussion which has waged from time
to time as to the advantages OF large
and small colleges, and after discussing
this topic said:
II deprecate the desire to increase
every class in a university continued
the President. The desire to say that
this years freshman class is larger than
last years. while 1T may give pride for
the moment. seriously increases the
burden of college administration and
brings about the necessity of a search
for money to meet the added expense.
1T has fallen to me at times to have
q share in selecting a college president,
and there has always been at such
times the suggestion that what we
needed was a business man. man who
knows the value of a dollar and how
to get it, a man who would put the in.
stitution on a business basis.
81 am glad to say that 1 always dis
sented from such an ideal. i am not
attacking business men, but 1 believe
that such men have their limitations and
that these limitations are SIch as to
exclude them college presidents. The
college president first Of all is a teacher;
that is his profession. and the university
is teaching institution IL he Is to
do his duty by the institution he must
understand how teaching should be done;
he must be a pedagogue.
Executive Ability Required.
The college president must be a man
of executive ability: he must have the
power OF selecting men for the work they
are to do. And / submit that unless he
is a teacher and understands all the
teaching that is to be done. he In not
fit to make such selections or to build up
q faculty to do the teaching.
II congratulate Wesleyan upon having
chosen as president q man who In ov0eI .