New-York tribune., 1910-06-09
M 'CRACKEN BIDS GOODBY
Gets Degree and Testimonials at
N. Y. u. Commencement.
REVIEWS 25 YEARS WORK
University Graduates More than
500 in Various Schools
The Prize Winners.

Inc Prize winners.
New York University at the seventy
eighth annual commencement yesterday.
awarded 506 degrees. the number including
six honorary degrees Henry Mitchell Mac
Cracken. the retiring chancellor. who for
twenty-six years has been connected with
New York University. received the hon
Orary degree of Doctor of Laws.
The aged chancellor rose from his seat
when DR.. Cleland B. McAfee. of the COM
mittee of the university council on hon
orary degrees. called his name With deep
emotion DR. McAfee said to Dean Ashly:
In conferring the degree by authority of
the university YOU will be setting a seal
upon a long and worthy career in educa-
ton and learning. Chancellor MacCracken
began his brilliant PUBLIC life by gradu-
alton from Miami Usiversity. Ohio. in 1S9.
at the early age of seventeen He is a grad
uate in theology in this country and also
Germany. Eighteen years pastor, ne
combined rich pastoral gifts with rare pull
pit powers. attracting the notice of edu-
Gators by his devotion to the adminlstra-
From his pastorate he was called to the
ChanCelOrship of the Western University
of Pennsylvania After three years in that
position he came to this university In 1874,
and for seven wears was its vice chancellor
and professor of philosophy
It is in the worlds knowledge, sir, that
been its chancellor In authorship his rec
ord is known. in biology. history ana
philosophy. Already a Doctor of Divinity
of Wittenberg College, and Doctor of Laws
of Miami University, he needs no degree
from this university 10 signalize his ser
vice.
But the university claims the privilege Of
making this public recognition. and in
stTucts you to confer the degree upon the
man to whom. more than to any other one,
is to be credited the existing university.
together with its broad foundations. for
the greater institution for which he has
lived and IabOred through six and twenty
years and from whose leadership he re-
tires At his own urgent desire. beloved of
the thousands who have labored with him
and under his anCe-Henry NJ. Mac
Cracker.
Dean Ashley presented five other honor
airy degrees. as follows:
To George T. Richmond. of Boonton. y.
J.. doctor of divinity, and also to George
G.. Vogel of Newark y. J.: 10 Lawrence
o. Murray Controller of the Currency Of
the United States. the degree of doctor Of
commercial science; to James Brooks Dill
and Egbert lie Fevre the degree of doctor
of laws.
More Honors for Chancellor.
Chancellor MacCracken was honored
again when Dean Ashley rendered TO him
testimonial consisting of a large engrossed
scroll, signed by the hundred professors Of
the university faculties, and a resolution
book of minutes passed by the faculties Of
the various schools and signed by the dean
and secretary of each school. In present
ing to the chancellor these testimonials
Dean Ashley said:
You are about to withdraw from a field
of arduous labor where your achievements
entitle you to high rank among the great
educators and college presidents of our
appreciate as few can, the immenstty Of
your task. the heartbreaking disappoint-
ments and obstacles you have encountered
and overcome.
This great institution testifes to the
breadth Of view. patient, never firing de
termination and uncomfortable will which
retire We give YOU our warmest well wishes
and affectionate godspeed on behalf Of
US all.
Before the ceremony of comforting the
degrees Chancellor MacCracHen made his
formal address, in which he said;
Universities count life by twenty-five
times twenty-five years. A quarter century
Our university work has lived but through
q single period of beginning and of struggle
The essential university consists Of only
two parties, the teachers and the students.
The trustees are simply necessary ma
chinery They may act as a bench of
judges TO collect suffrage and to decide
y
matters would only embarrasS the teach
ing efficiency of the faculties.
While we have had here eminent and
faithful presidents, We have failed in Civ
ing adequate support and supplies to our
seven university divisions. In the entire
quarter century there has been a certain
Standing committee OF the corporation
whose members are not members Of the
corporation 1 mean the wOmen's advisory
committee.
This community Of New York must not
expect to see in the next quarter century
the enthusiasm and sacrifice shown by
some of our faculties these twenty-five
years The support and supplies must be
enlarged in one Of two ways-either by an
Increase of our endowment to minimum
of from two to three millions Of dollars
for the support and the advancement or
existing work, not reckoning new build
ings or annual subscriptions of the inter-
est on such an endowment at 4 per cent.
Our university in every TacuIty trains
men TO deal. not so much with Things, as
with their fellow men. / nave StrlNen 10
helm place in every professors chair
teacher possessing right character who Wlt
imDresS on students his own spirit of
riebtness of service of others and of his
country of reverence to his Creator, OF
reverence Of wOmanhood or moral law Oh
theft The university striving TO do this
has attempted something worth doing
Cheers on Associates.
Then. with great earnestness. the chan
cellor said:
BEFORE Almighty God. tneSe JWenlN-llNt 2
years l have striven as chancellor TO keep
character first as a qualification Of every !
professor and of every instructor. Our city, |
at the wide open gateway OF the continent, /
with near five millions Of people. OF two
thirds of whom the parents came from for
eign lands, represents America TO stran-
gers more than all other cities put to-
gether. New York University ought 10 rep
resent truth and love and righteousness 10 !
the more than one thousand new students !
who ma triCuate each year
In bidding farewell to his associates
Chancellor MacCracken said
7 cheer YOU on. my comrades. the oldest |
Of whom is a Younger man by several years |
than Stand by the violet flag which |
bea RS the color, physicists say. which is /
most near to the invisible lines of the /
mitted 10 me. / will strive still to help |
exalt this color.
am preparing next month to set my
face toward the universities and the col |
leges Of the Orient. thinking perchance |
there to gain three results: First, reCrea- /
tion and knowledge for my lifelong COM
panion and myself second. suggestions /
which I may report to this university and 1
to others OF what we Americans NAV do l
for those older peoples who have given us 1
some immediate help and cheer to the edu-
Gators in some old empire that has begun !
TO regenerate its schools. whether in the |
subjects taught or In their method and /
spirit.
morning DR.. Lyman Abbott spoke 10 the
class on The Making of Amer
Ca Chancellor MacCracken introduced
him as the great inquisitor Of the press Of
The country and the only man who by ter
ror or other means had persuaded an ex-