The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-10-14
AT NOTABLE EXERCISES
Hanover Was Crowded with Alumni and
Delegates from Other Insti-
tutions Of Learn
ing

college, he being the tenth man to hold
the position. Hanover was crowded with
people, among the number being $50 Of
the most eminent men in the educational
life OF the country and several hundred
graduates of the venerable institution.
The exercises Of the day commenced
was prayers In Rollins Chapel at half
past nine O'Clock, the service being con.
Quoted by Prof. John X. Lord. After
that the assembled people marched to
Webster Hall, where the formal exer
cises Of the induction were held. Presi.
dent Francis Brown 81 Union Theologi-
cal seminary gave the invocation, and
the presentation of the charter was made
BY Gen. Frank S. Streeter of Concord
In behalf Of the trustees, with acceptance
BY Dr. Nichols. The welcome to the
Wheelock succession was given by the
retiring president, William Jewett Tuck
er, with acceptance by Dr. Nichols. Con-
gratulatory speeches We're given BY var.
ious delegates and President Nichols de-
livered his inaugural address:
President Nichols spoke in part as
followss
1T is not Of Dartmouth's individual
problems but Of her problems In common
with other American colleges that ! wish
TO speak. The twofold function Of the
college is to prepare its students on the
one hand for the professional depart
ments Of the university; on the other
hand for the requirements Of active life;
yet in both cases to instill high ideals Of
citizenship aud to foster the finer quail
ties Of mind and spirit. The current Of
college life should be 40 directed as to
foster the finer qualities Of mind and
spirit which give men dignity, poise, and
that deeper sense OF honorable and UNI
selfish devotion to the great and common
good College, like life, Ii whatever the
man has industry, ability and insight to
make OF It.
THE problems Of the college currfcu-
lum are those born Of the intellectual
development Of the past SO years. Long
hostile OF Indifferent to the Influences of
the progress in natural and social tech
nical subjects. the colleges clung to the
time -honored creed Of liberal education
When they awoke 10 the fact that the
atmosphere outside them
was freer than that within. many Of
them swung suddenly to the opposite
extreme The result was the unbrdied
elective system.
Under the elective system, Or laek
Of system, for every student who gains
a distinct advantage By is license sew
eral Of his less purposeful companions
seek and find path Of least resistance,
enjoy comfort and ease In following ii,
and emerge at the other end. four years
older, but no more capable Of service
than when they entered
eThe classics are as truly humane to-
day aa they ever we're Technical studies
have exalted observation and reason.
We have grown In constructive imagina-
tion and the power to think relentlessiY
straight forward. but the vision has been
mainly external In the movement
toward complete freedom, Dartmouth in
common with many Others pursued
middle course, producing in the so-called
group system depth as well as BREADTH,
an education liberal II fact az well as
in name.
'0f late there has been popular over
emphasis Of the technical subjects in our
college cuFricula. Pure reason does not
explain some Of the deepest experiences
Of the race The classics for delight as
well as for discipline still have their
place The subtier promptings Of the
spirit need their Interpretation through
broad and effective religious teaching.
Among the undergraduates the man
who lacks intellectual ambition presents
the most serious problem. If he is to
be retained In the college some means
Of rousing him must be found The
best means to this end would seem to
be smaller classes and hence more direct
contact between teacher and
pupils. The hope Of attaining this lies
in increased funds for purposes Of III.
structi0n. From every point Of view
the Undergraduate is the central figure
Of the college Him our restless critics
would give no peace and he takes q
gentle vengeance upon bis aecusers by
being unconscious Of them.
In only one phase OF college life to-
day may a student other than shame
facedly show full measure Of pleasure
able excitement and that is in athletics
70 blame intercollegiate athletics for the
lack OF scholarly enthusiasm is mis-
take. The real cause lies in the condi
tion Of society and our national life
sports make for under
graduate solidarity; they teach self con.
troll, concentration and obedience. The
severest test Of gentleman is his bear
ing in victory or defeat.
Increasing the competitive element
IN matters Of scholarship has been pro
posed as a means Of increasing interest
IN them This means would be helpful,
but all things desired could not be ex-
pccted Of it. Competition is not a moral
force, and as a motive lacks the highest
Irving power The drama Of scholar
ship must ever be drama Of the inner
life which will never draw cheering
multitude nor light bonfres.
an the case Of the faculty, there are
, few uncertain and Indifferent teachers
in our colleges But when the public
supplies the colleges with the means to
command the men they want, all cause
Tor criticism will be removed In a gen
,ration the monetary rewards in most
have advanced more rapidly
than IN teaching, where they never have
been adequate, and colleges have felt