The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-03
COLUMBIA'S CLOSING DAY
E.JA DRIVES THE PROCESSION
INTO A TUNNEL.

r,cuI, and Degree Getters Go Under
ground 10 the Gymnasium -President
IoyeI Of Harvard Honored-l,l6U
on the Roll for Collegiate Promotion.
commencement began in a tunnel out
At Columbia University yesterday. Not
IN all the i55 commensurate that have
heen since Kings College turned out It's
frst class Of tutored colonials have the
president and council Of faculty carried
their dignity to the hall where awards
~ degrees were made In such a manner.
II was raining. Among all the faculty.
the recipients OF honorary degrees and the
distinguished visitors there silkep
hoods and velvet. representing the cher
isbed possession Of degrees from q score
n universities in the Old World and Amer
;ca. Rather than that these doctorial
feathers should be draggled DR.. Putler
himself set the expedient and the whole
academic procession dived into the dusty
lower tunnel leading from the library
10 the gymnasium,
II vas a distinguished company that
brushed mortarboards and robes along
the walls Of the vaulted passageway. For
among those who we're candidates for
honorary degrees from the university were
President Abbot Lawrence Lowell OF
Harvard. Alfred Mosely. the noted Eng
HIN ed~ucationalist: ex-senator John G.
spooner OF Wisconsin,; Silas Brown Brow
nell, chairman Of the trustees Of Barnard
college: Count Johann Heinrich Won Bern
storf, the representative OF Emperor
wilhelm at Washington. end Miss Mary
Wilton Calkins Of Wellesley College.
the first woman TO receive a titular degree
from Columbia in twenty-five years.
The commencement exercises were
10 have begun at 1880 and the faculty
committee Of university functions had
made every preparation except for rain.
Consequently there was q delay until
the tunnel route for the academic pro-
cession was suggested. and 1t was not
until almost half an hour later that the
long line of faculty. alumni. trustees
and candidates for honorary degrees
took seats in the gymnasium.
The candidates for sheepskins filled
the chairs In the body Of the hall and the
faculty and honorary degree scholars
seated themselves behind the old Ben
janin Franklin chair which President
Butler occupied on the platform. The
gymnasium was taxed by the crowd,
for nearly I,16e candidates upon exami~
nation for academic honors. the largest
graduating class ever turned out OF the
university. sat in the body of the gym
nasium. and so great was the rallytns
Of graduates. friends Of the institution
and faculty members that many were
turned from the doors OF the building
before the exercises began.
The color scheme OF the great interior
vas as riotous as that Of a cathedral
interior on any Easter Sunday. Broad
bands OF blue and white bunting de-
ended from a cluster OF the college
colors in the centre OF the ceiling and were
Ioored 10 the sides Of the walls. Great
American flags filed in tho spaces be-
TWEEN.
Tn the floor OF the hall only a fringe
Of the vari -colored habiliments OF the
civilian world surrounded the broad space
where black gowns and the swaying
uutsrboa rds ruled. All Of the Barnard
college graduates, who received their
Geerees at the same time as the Columbia
,ttdents, appeared In white dresses.
sti.h their ttmpre gowns partially
covered.
After the faculty. and candidates for
honorary degrees had taken their seats
on the platform the many distinguished
visitors who had come upon personal
invitation Of the president and members
OF the faculty were givep places behind
President Buffers chair. Among these were
~ Pc mr. CborIne r Akad somb
man Thomas A. Brennan, the Rev. Wallace
Buttrick, Francis Brown, president OF the
Union Theological Seminary; Edmond j..
Butler, Tenement House Commissioner;
the Rev. Henry z. Chaplin. Henry Clews,
Consul. General Franksen, John Greene
Gates. Charles Fl. Hayes. professor Of the
dan Koht, professor OF history at the
University OF Christiania; F. A. Lawrence.
curator Of the Brooklyn i%nstitute;
Assemblyman Peter p. McEligott. Her
bet R. Moody. secretary q the Metro
ton Oldham, c. r. Richards. director Of
Cooper Union. Jesse NJ. Smith, p~residentof
the American Society OF Mechanical EnG-
neers Edward L.. Stevens. AssociateSuper-
lntendent OF Schools; DR.. G. II. Town
send. director Of the New York Aquarium,
and the Rev. George r. Van De Water.
AFTER a pTdyeI ny tuS isSV'
4. Knox, chaplain OF the university.
President Butler rose to make his COM
mencement address. He chose to speak
upon the integrity Of the intellect, which
he Characterised as -one OF mans most
precious possessions.
Following the address OF Or. Butler.
Dean Van Amringe, the Idol OF the whole
student body, stepped to the front OF the
platform to present the senior class TO the
faculty as candidates for their degrees.
There we're prolonged cheers. for Van
Am" and all Of the students In the hall
followed academic custom and stood while
The dean addressed his few words OF pres
e~ntation. DR.. Butler then formally b
slowed the ~sheepskins upon all OF the
eleven hundred-odd graduates.
After the Barnard College graduates
had been presented by acting Dean Brew
stet and had received their parchmentA
the honorary degrees were conferred.
Prof, Harry Thurston Peck. following a
new departure in the custom set for the
occasion, acted as university orator and
introduced each Of the eleven candidates.
Hitherto a different member OF The
faculty had made each presentation;
The schedule OF degrees conferred
their recipients we're as follows:
Master Of Science-Benlamin Rowden
Lawrence OF the class OF 1873. mining en-
snter.
Master OF Arts--John Halliday Denbigh.
rrircipal of the Morris High School.
Doctor Of Science-Samuel Franklin
Enmons, United States Geological Survey.
Doctor OF LAtters-MRry Wilton Calktns,
Nvpta.-,r 81 .LIIA.a~ku md nHynhnInnv In