The sun., 1910-02-18
800 AT THE AMHERST DINNER
PRESIDENT HARRIS DEFENDS
THE MODERN COLLEGE.
students work AZ Amherst, He Says. but
Need Play and Get It-Judge whit
man Not Sure They Play Well Enough
Loving Cup Awaits W. u. Mead.


Loving Cup Awaits W. n. Mead.
One heard the name Of the Hon Jeifery
Lord Amherst of Holmesdale, X. B..
Privy Councillor. Governor OF Guernsey
and Colonel OF the Royal American Regi-
ment Of Foot, mentioned a number OF
times at the Waldorf last night. AS the
| jolly hours rolled by one got the idea that
a college had been named for this person
and that at least 500 enthusiastic boys
of all ages were approving the Baron's
good taste in selecting the right kind
OF thought factory to leave his name to.
! Up in the tier OF boxes cheering Am
herstians loosed tiny aeroplanes which
whirled beautifully around in the upper
smoke levels and then settled upon table
tops. An exciting brand Of noisy fire.
works which made grand bang and blew
itself into fiuttering shfeds OF nothing
at all let loose unexpectedly. even under
the feet OF the Rev Nehemiah Boynton.
Each class had its own table and class
beloved to class. jooularly or defantly.
singing songs appropriately chosen for
the fieering contempt that lay in them.
Young 1909 was particularly numerous,
taking the annual prize for best repre-
sentation. while "a displayed a silver cup
awarded to il because il made the best
showing at the last commencement, SO
per cent. Ollie B. Merrill, 90. a young
man with the kind of voice that rattles
the chandelier, led the cheering as often
as it seemed necessary. while Roscoe Conk
ling brought o.d college tunes out of the
piano.
tect. who has been president Of the Am-
herst Association of New York for ten
years and who has been particularly
active in alumni work for Amherst, could
not attend the dinner on account of the
illness of a member of his family. The
Rev. Mr.. Boynton as toastmaster dis
played a silver cup which would have been
presented TO Mr.. Mead in person if he had
been in his chair.
With Mr.. Boynton at the guest table
were President George Harris of the col
District Attorney Charles s. Whitman
and Burgess johnson, who poets. Presi-
dent Rush Rhees of Rochester University
was to have been one of the speakers,
but sent a letter OF regret.
Among the alumni present were: William
c. Brownell, II, Profs. j. r. Clark, A. ID.
F. Hamlin and Henry S. Redfield OF Co
lunbia University; George A. Plimpton.
Judge Alonzo I. Searle. John b. Stanch-
field. Charles Sprague Smith, Judge
Isaac n. Mills. Charles NJ Pratt. E. ".
Bemis. DIR. Fred Whiting. A. D. Noyes.
Prof WiIlston Walker, Edward NJ Bas-
sett. A. c. Rounds, Arthur Curtiss James.
Edward Fairbank, Mortimer l.. Schif.
n. A.. Halligan. Roberts Walker and
Harold J. Rowland.
After referring TO the absence Of Mr..
Mead and saying that he had built his
love for Amherst into the structures
of the college the Rev. Mr. Boynton
aoated some lovely compliments TOWARD
dent Harris. The president reported
that the health of Nutsy Gates. one OF
the most celebrated janitors east OF the
Alleghanies seemed to be all that could
be desired. There were cheers at that,
for Nutsy, you must know. is an institu-
ton.
Colleges. said President Harris. -a-e
coming in for a lot OF criticism nowadays.
People say that the students don't work.
that they do everything hut study. There
is no criticism OF the morale OF student
bodies. but intellectually the criticism
is severe. Well. there is more work
being done than many people think.
student cant get through Amherst
unless he does considerab BILE study. There
are colleges and colleges. and that kind
Of criticism cannot he applied to Amherst
or Williams or a number Of other colleges
like them. Amherst continues to fill its
plsce in providing culture.
There must be plenty Of play as well
"a plenty OF work. You can't work well
without you play. and you can't play
well Unlesa you work. l believe in ath-
letics. in such games as baseball and
football. They teach courage and self
restraint and team work all useful things
What is needed most ! think is a sense
is the secret OF life"
Mr.. Boynton suggested that q toast
be drunk to Mrs Harris. who sat in one
of the lower tier boxes. Mrs. Harris
bow and a smile. Surgeon General Wy
man. who spoke next. said he was
sorry he had missed previous annual
dinners and that he would never make
the same mistake again.
District Attorney Whitman recalled
that President Harris had said that
Amherst didn't overdo baseball and
football.
Just before I left my Office in the
Criminal Courts Building" said the Dis
trict Attorney, and the building was
still standing when left there, although
it may not be in the morning llaughterl.
I read a letter had received from a man
who wrote that he had been deprived OF
his constitutional rights. You are
great and good man. he said. although
burglary in the first and second degrees.
Now l want you to know that am not
guilty in the second degree. Laughter
Those OF us who read the Sunday pages
in the football season know perfectly
well that Amherst is not guilty on the
second count in the athletic indictment"
LLaughterl
The District Attorneys job is one
that rather belongs to Amherst. Mr.. |
Whitman said. a custom of which he
thoroughly approved. He said he meant |
to do his best to continue the habit in |
definitely. Coming down to more SER
ious TOPICS. the District Attorney asked
them IL they remembered the counsel !
that the professors up at Amherst always |
gave their students, that material sue |
cess is not everything. He didn't realize |
twenty years ago. he said. the perfect |
truth Of that teaching. but he had come |
TO know its wisdom and its value. Such |
things as honor and self-respect and |
decent living he had found are worth |
more than all the cash that can be piled |
up in a national bank.
Its not hard for a man to succeed in |
New York or anywhere else" said Mr.. |
Whitman. III he is willing to pay the
price"
They always expect Deacon Stebbins |
OF Pelham to rattle on an original poem.
and the Deacon has never failed them yet |
He goes to the annual dinner with the
inside pocket OF his Tuxedo bulging with /