The San Francisco call., 1909-05-13
WOMEN OCCUPY
LEADING ROLES
AS STUDENTS
Miss AImira Catherine johnson
Delivers First Graduates ADJ
dress at Commencement
Governor Presents Commissions
TO Cadets and President
Wheeler COnfers Degrees

Through the srboreaI sally port of
the University OF California at Berke-
ley yesterday the forty fifth gradu-
ating class was sped on its way by
the governor Of the state. the regents
Of the university. the president and
faculty. The exercises We're held in
the Greek theater and were home
made" in the sense that The entire pro-
gram. with the exception Of the invo-
cation. was conducted by members Of
the university. There was no distin-
guished stranger to mark the day and,
in, a way. detract from the intimate
college aspect Of the commencement
or dim the Importance of the youths
and maids who were decorated with
academic initials.
Bachelor degrees were conferred by
President Wheeler on upward of $50
graduates. and degrees of master Of
arts and sciences and doctors Of philos-
ophy were conferred on a large class
Of students Of several branches OF in
tricate science and arts.
QUAINT RITUAL OBSERVED
was marked with the quaint ritual
Of the colleges: the successful candi-
dates being called to the stage and
there draped with the gay blue and
gold velvet cowl Of exalted scholar
ship. while the heads of the faculty
under which they prepared for their
honors delivered hattering comments
on their industry and intellectual at
Uainments.
The Greek theater was nearly filled
with interested relatives and friends of
the successful students, who were
grouped in the pit Of the theater and
gsrbed in the solemn black of gown
and mortarboard.
CONTRASTS IN COLORs
BY curious contraCiness in the
traditions Of learning, the more youth
ful and irresponsible, in collegiate
sense. the student is the more sOmbre
is his garb. At academic functions the
gray haired sarants Of the faculty.
with degrees from all nations. wear
the most vivid blues. greens and scar
lets on their hoods. while the festive
girls and boys Of the newest class.
with minds more intent on the next
senior ball or the last football score,
are sedately gOwned from head TO heel
in lusterless black.
The women students were prominent.
in yesterdays commencement. Miss
Mary Louise Phillips. a slim. bright
faced maid or the graduating class.
took the highest hOnors OF the year,
the university medal, and Miss Almira
Catherine Johnson. a student in the
college of letters. was the first of the
student speakers.
HENEY'S OFFICE STUDENT SPEAKS
Miss Johnson was followed by John
H.
affiliated Hastings college of the law
OF san Francisco, who had his Office
training I'm the Office Of Francis J.
Heney.
Milton Thomas Farmer OF the college
Of social sciences. spoke on The
Evening Schools Of san Francisco"
Farmer gained distinction as a mem
Der of the football team and also of
the .exacting Phi Beta Kappa scholar
through college as a teacher in the
night schools Of san Francisco.
STUDENTS DUTY SHOWN
George Lewis Bell. a prominent
leader among the students. and grad
uate OF the college of social sciences.
spoke eloQuent1y on The Students
Duty 10 University and State"
shortly before 10 o'clock the march
for the theater started, with the stu
dents in brand new mortar boards and
somber gowns leading the way. and
President Benjamin Ide Wheeler OF the
university and Governor James NJ
Gillett bringing up the rear. At the
entrance 10 the theater the order of
march became inverted. and the presi-
dent and governor led the way to the
stage.
Claiborne Milton Hill. d. d, deliv-
cred the invocation which opened the
commencement exercises.
MISS JOHNSON SPEAKS
Miss Admire Catherine Johnson fol-
lowed with her paper on an interest
ing and purely California topic. cali
1ornia's Spanish Inheritance
"On the occasion OF the commence
ment day exercises at the state uni
versity." she began, 1T has seemed TO
me quite in spirit Of the time and
place 10 say something of the relation
of the great commonwealth and of
ourselves as parts Of it to the earlier
possessOrs OF California" Con-
tinuing. the girIish student spoke of
She interest which other sections OF
che country. less favored in historical
tradition. take in their meager heri-
tage- She said:
How different is California, Here we have
country rich in natural beauty and resources
presenting on its map traces Of Russian. Span
ish and American in its people such varied
types such happy blending of races that they
promise = future unparalleled elsewhere Here
IS people who today can work with the in
domitabie energy of Americans and who tomor
row can revel with the picturesque abandon Of
Llc Latin races. Thc stranger j. more apt to
seek snd 20 ind that which explains the
peculiarly Californian. May he not find the
csgse 10 consist. IN part least. the influence
q the spanish period upon our map. upoD oaIr
history and upon the development of our public
oPinionF The merest scboolboy pronounces cliblv
and unthinkngly the sonorous Spanish names
ful ~ subtle suggestion. Each name Stfrs the
imagination with its suggestion Of the quaint
Spanish civilization hourishinC scarcely co years
sEo On the site n present homes and col
lezes- Every dsy tbe stranger adds 10 his
litany q saints. bis category Of noble mission
aries and additional knowledge only 0uickens
his interest in reviewing the past and inter-
pretinE the perpiexities Of the present
CALL OF LAW DESCRIBED
John Henry Riordan, A B. and NJ A.
fSants Clara college) and a graduate
OF the Hastings law school spoke then
on The call OF the Law" The young
lawyer said:
The eyes Of many OF our Judges are
turned back 400 years to old time
prece6ents. There is too much gov