The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-10-07
| New President Of Harvard Is
| Finally Inaugurated
EXERCISES ARE SOLEMN
Five Thousand People View the Ger
emones--Beneath the Elms in the
College Yard and Eliot's
Successor Goes In.

Cambridge, Mass, October 6.--With
the symbols of office in his hand and
determination written on his counten-
ance, Abbott Lawrence Lowell seated
himself today in the presidents chair
of Harvard university, from which he
proclaimed his policies and distributed
the celebration gifts of the University
with a lavish hand to 80 of the many
men of letters who came from various
parts of the country to pay him tribute.
The inauguration scene was laid be-
an audience of more than 5000 per
sons. Later in the day the alumni
pledged its fealty to the new presi-
dent and gave inspiring and en-
thusiastic god-speed to Presiden
6Emeritus) Charles William Eliot, who
as president of the Alumni association
delivered what was generally regarded
as his valedictory.
No leader of a great educational in
stitution ever received greater homage
from his fellow men of learning and
no new aspirant for intellectual lead
ership ever began his career with more
loyal inspiration.
In outlining his policies, President
Lowell declared himself in favor of mer
learning one thing well and something
of everything. He placed himself on
the side of the inter- collegiate sports
as the only striking occasion for th
dIsulay of college s0li1a arity
He also stated his belief in the segre-
cation of the freshmen and OF ths
drawing together of the ties among
upper classmen, and finally he diff
fered radically from some of the poll
cies of his immediate predecessor.
Old and New Leaders.
Yet the two great leaders-the OLE
and new-marche ed side by side in tn G
afternoon to Memorial hall and there
President Eliot said that the occasion
was one of confident expectation,
exaltation of the memories OF the past
and of assured hope for the future. He
commended President Lowells pollcy
of learning one thing well and some
thing of everything as the key to tho
individual doctrine of the university
and indorsed many of his successor S
statements as great augury of the
future and of the oneness of the cause
of higher education.
Although these two men-the new
head and the retiring leader-domi-
mated the Inauguration, the grand pa =
rade of sch GLARS, guests and alumni
through the college yard to the stage
in the morning and the massing of tn e
varigated hoods and gowns of the stage
in Memorial hall in the afternoon gave
a brilliancy to tho scene which will
OF ty, ha Les rF rA
The parade was vastly impressive
headed as it was by Ambassador Bryce oi
Great Britain and several other English
scholars in their scarlet gowns, while be.
hind them came the scarcely less subdued
academic garbs of the German, French
Austrian, Danish and Cuban scholars
American universities and colleges as
ISOLATION were well represented.
After Forty Years.
1t is 40 years since the yellow charter
the silver keys and the gold seal of Har-
ward university have been brought out
into the sunlight. Today they had q
special significance when former Gov
John D. Long, as president of the board
of oyerseers, handed them one by one
to the new custodian and declared him
in accordance with the ancient custom
vested with all the powers and privileges
of the new office.
In accepting the trust, President Lowell
in his inaugural address, expressed the
deep sense of responsibility and offered
the prayer that he might obtain wisdom
patience and strength to the development
of true manhood and sound learning.
The distribution of the gifts of the uni
versity formed an impressive scene.
In the afternoon many alumni meetings
were held In Memorial hall.
nj h. haa
of the alumni host spoke the words of
congratulation and with his usual gra-
ciousness introduced speakers from many
lands and many states and in addition
read kilograms of appreciation and felici-
tation from President William II. Taft.
the Harvard association at the John Har-
ward house. Stratford-on-th -the-Avon, from
the minister of education of Prussia and
from Adolphus Busch of st. Louis, who
announced that he had increased his gift
to the building fund Of the Germanic
museum to $4,000. The telegram of Pres
ident Taft was as follows:
Taft's Message.
'San Francisco, October g. 1909.
president A. Lawrence Lowell-I great
ly regret my inability to convey per-
sonally my oongratulation to you as pres
ident of Harvard university. / sincerely
hope that you will enjoy long and sue
cessful administration in the leadership
of the movement Of extending and widen
ing the popular influence of the American
universities. "WILLIAM II. TAFT"
President Lowell in his response to DR..
Eliot's speech and numerous kilograms,
said he looked upon the Busch message as
a birthday present.
Gov. Eben s. Draper, for the common
wealth of Massachusetts, declared his con-
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