The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-04

'Ah. pensive scholar, what is fame?
"A ftful tongue of leaping flame:
A giddy whirlwind's tickle gust
That lifts pinch of mortal dust;
"A few swift years and who can show
Which dust was Bill and which was
Joe"
oliver Wendell Holmes.
After four years of hard, con-
scientious and efficient work over sixty
young men and women representing
some of the best families of the mid
die west were ushered from college life
into real life at the big chapel audi
torium, Washburn college, this morn
ing. These ceremonies completed the
real finale of the big Inauguration
Week. the forty-fourth annual COM
mencement. which has been making
the Washburn campus the center of
interest of Kansas for many days
Relatives and friends of the graduates
from all over the west have gathered
In Topeka the last week to witness
these interesting services and they
leave this evening for their homes
some taking their sons and daughters
with them and others leaving them in
Topeka to take up their life's work in
this city.
Washburn has never conducted such
elaborate ceremonies in the annual
President Sanders, the dedication of
the new magnificent gymnasium and
the. many notables from over the
United States have combined in MAX
ing Inauguration Week one to be long
remembered. Topeka has never en-
tertained so many college men and wo-
men.
The commencement functions this
morning were almost as pompous and
Sumptuous as those of Thursday after
COll626d.
robed in the traditional cap and gown,
collected in the McVicar chapel build
ing and marched in schools up the big
broad stairway beautifully decorated
for the occasion to the chapel audi
torium above. The different schools,
the arts, music, law and Bible were
robed according to their custom-the
tassels of the mortar boards being of
q different color The procession up
the big stairway was two abreast, the
young men and the co-eds walking side
by side When they reached the main
entrance into the chapel they parted,
and the young women down the other.
They marched with the accompani-
ment of the professional to the front of
the building. here met again and form
ed a solid mass of black In the front
seats of the auditorium. At sign they
all sat down at once and the exercises
of the day were due.
The prelude was given by Miss
Allabelle Troutman and Professor ALI
Klingenberg- The invocation by the
Under the direction of Professor Pen
nv the Washburn Choral society sang
"Send Out Thy Light"
President Eaton's Address.
President Sanders then introduced as
the speaker of the day President Ed
ward D. Eaton, D. D., of Beloit col
lege. Wisconsin In opening his re-
marks President Eaton spoke of his
friendship for DR.. Sanders of Wash
burn, his associations with him in the
past. his welcome to him as a col
league and the interest which Beloit
had in Washburn. He paid a great
tribute to President Sanders. congrat-
ulating Washburn on her fortune in
obtaining such valuable man as presl-
dent He also told of the kindness of
Jonathan Thomas in donating such a
gymnasium and spoke of the debt
owed him and his family for such an
action.
In his address proper President
Eaton spoke entirely on the value of a
college education to a man in after
life and the debt college graduate
owed to his college. He said that the
American college was gradually forcing
its way into the life of the nation and
instead of being a luxury it was grad
ually becoming necessity.
Speaking of what the college has
done for the graduate, President Eaton
you is one of the great questions which
always comes UP to a man after he has
taken his degree and goes out into the
world. You must be prepared to an
swer this question. In the first place a
college has stimulated in you the in
terests of the world, the better world
and of the things to come" He said
that the college man had a much
wider scope of interests than the aver
age man and cited incidents of this
character.
Tn the value of interests in the COL
lege walls President Eaton mentioned
the fact that the American colleges of
TODAY were creating for the benefit of
the students a series of interests-they
are forming schools within their scope
for special interests of the student.
He laid great stress upon the value of
obtaining an interest while In college
and following it out in after life.
"One of the greatest things about
college life is the fact that there is no
such thing as aristocracy within the
college walls. Every student is on the
level with the other and each has a
fair chance" The president of Beloit
then told of happening in his school
when young colored man had Won
second place in the interstate oratorical
contest. He was met at the train at
his home coming and carried to the
college grounds upon the shoulders of
his white friends. This, said DR.. Eaton,
could only happen in college life. He
said that Washburn would always be
an inspiration to the graduate when he
left the school in the battle of life.
President Eaton is a big man in
every way-in stature, in voice, in
manner and in influence. He spoke
not only to the graduates but to the
undergrads who were in the aud
fence. His talk was interesting as
we'll to the big crowd which COM
pletely filed the chapel. He was
greeted with great applause when he
was introduced and at the finish of