Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-09-09
Fall Term Opens With
A Record Attendance.
Pes. Chase Welcomes Stu
dents in a Happy Speech.
Y. N. G. 4. Gives Reception to the
Young Women...0ther Notes.

Bates College opened this morning with
a record attendance. to which was add
ed the 140 students who are 10 bear
the proverbially unlucky 49, The
classes assembled early and wnen
President Chase walked onto the chapel
platform to take charge of the opening
exercises, he was greeted by rousins
cheers by the entire student body. At
ter the preliminary exercises President
Chase gave a delightful addrss of wei
come. He said in part:
1--WE welcome you al Ito Bates. You
are entering into year and life OF
delightful experiences. We welcome the
new and the old students. In many
ways this early date is on an unfavOr-
able lay for our beginning, Many STU
deats have had to be excused from at
tending the first few days of this term.
Now we never understand Il thing
fully until the thing is past. Our
school and college days become to be
be appreciated by us more after they
have passed from us. This first chapel,
for many of you, will sometime, if not
now, be appreciated as one of The
greatest events of your lives.
I'VE welcome you all to our life-;l
life Of freedom and liberty. To many
of you this life of freedom is a new ex-
perience. You have been surrounded by
home environments, but now you are
4 thrown into a freer life. A bow never
learns to swim unless he plunges into
the water. He will likewise never be
prepared for life unless he has liberty
and responsibility. Liberty is glo-
rious word. be prepared for it..
Again you should be careful in
choosing your new associations. BE
careful to select the best kind of a
new life. Recall the wishes of your pa
rents. Stop and think what your ia
Their would think about the thing that
you are going to do: what your mother
wonld think about it, Keep in Erind the
Golden Rule. 1t was the desire of the
founders of this institution that there
should never be any castles here. that
. there should be very nearly complete
- democracy. We care nothing for mon
ey. for clothes, or for ancestry. We
care simply for manhood and woman
hood. rely on you to keep the Golden
Rule, you. Seniors and Juniors, ana OF,
you Sophomores and Freshmen.
I'VE have never intended that the
1ll-treatment of a man in one class by
man in another class should be toll
Grated. If this thing has crept into our
life it has been due to the growth of
false seed. Bates has grown very rap
idly. Her rapid growth has attracted
the attention of all of America. The
great secret of her growth is her
spirit of helpfulness. This was institut
ed in her earliest days and her facul-
ties and students have always cher
ished this principle.
I'VE. welcome YOU all to Bates. We
are very sorry for the loss of our dear
Prof. Spofford. We shall later give a
proper expression Of our sorrow at his
passing from us. And now 1 wish you
all. in behalf of my associates and the
men who govern and direct this col
lege, most happy and growthful
year.
The Young Womens Christian Asso-
citation of the college gave delightful
reception to the young women of the
entering class at o'clock this after
noon on the east side of Mount David.
I'he people assembled in circle in the
open amphitheater ard listened to
words Of greeting from the Y. W. c. A.
officers and prominent workers. Dainty
refreshments were served at the close
OF the reception. after which an oppor-
tunity was given for every young lady
TO meet every other young lady.
A union meeting of the Young Mems
and Young Women's Christian Assooia-
tons was held in the chapel this even
Ing President Everett l.. Farnsworth
OF the Y. NJ. c. A. led the meeting. He
outlined the work of the Christian AS
sociations and how much they should
mean to every student.
AT the close of the chapel exercises
President Chase read challenge from
the Glass of 1912 to the Glass of 1915
to game OF baseball to be PLAYED
Saturday on Garcclon field This is to
be the annual Freshman Sophomore
game and both classes have already
begun to practice and the game prom
1ses to be a hot one.