New-York tribune., 1910-06-05
6jby Boys" Old an d
Young. -StOeor by the
Refirin9 Dean.

| When a man with white whiskers STOOD
UP in Columbia University's gymnasium
last Wednesday and received the honorary
| degree Of doctor of laws, everybody in the
big building broke into long cheer.
That's Van Am. Yes, that's him. The
man with the white whiskers," yelled one
college boy with the characteristic batter
cake hat and megaphone trousers. And
| the girl at his side waved &C. flag en-
Enthusiastically. For they love Van Am
! out on Morningside Heights. 1t was his
yaledictory. He was to appear no more
as dean of the college. Having completed
| seventy-five years of life and fifty OF ser
vice at Columbia, he resigned last Novem-
| her, the resignation to take effect on June
| 80 this year.
Tradition has it that when John H. Van
Amringe was an undergraduate at Column
| bia fifty years ago, the whiskers were not
white, but red. and they were not whiskers
at all. but big beard. But he has worn
them on the side so long now that few but
the Oldest Columbia boys can remember
them any other way.
Dye ken Van Am with his snow white hair.
Dye ken Van Am, with his whiskers rare,
has made them famous.
He was graduated from Columbia in 1850
| along with Egerton Winthrop, Robert
Goelet. Judge Cullen. DR.. Haven Emerson.
A. Newbold Morris and others, but he had
become before this teacher. While in his
senior year he was appointed an instructor
in the department of Greek and was as
signed to the junior class. Even then the
students began to talk about the whiskers
red then. remember-and metaphorically
to pull them by trying TO PROFOUND ques-
tions of an involved nature on Greek verbs
But Van AM knew the answers to all,
and then 1t was that he laid the foundation
for the respect and love that have followed
him through the half century.
One reason why the Columbia students
love Van AM is his stand on football. All
through the agitation over the abolition Of
the game he was the outspoken supporter
of the student body in the university coun-
ell. But his lips were shut tightly outside
and even though the students knew that
he was in favor of the game, he would
not outwardly express himself. In Novem-
| ber of 1906 just after the close Of the sea-
son in other colleges. the students up on
North Broadway organized demonstra-
tion and two thousand marched to the
house of Van Am" He could not be
found there, but was run to earth at the
Faculty Club, where the students stood
outside and yelled valiantly for him until
he made his appearance. He did not want
to make a speech, least of all on football: :
but finally he appeared on the porch, and
as he did so the two thousand voices
broke into the old familiar
Dye ken Van Am with his snowy hair
Dye ken Van Am with his whiskers rare
Dye ken Van Am with his martial air
AS he crosses the Quad in the morning?
For the sight OF Van Am raised my hat from
Ard the sound Of his voice often allied me
| on. 1 shook in my boots at the things that
he said.
When he asked me to call in the morning
Yes. kenned Van Am. 10 my sorrow. too
When was freshman OF verdant hue
First cut, then a bar. then an interview
With the Dean in his den in the morning
But we love Van Am from our heart and soul:
Let's drink TO his health. let US nnish the
Wen swear by Van Am through fair and
And we wish him the top OF the morning.
Dye ken Van Am with his me old eaye
Dean OF Columbia many a day
Long may he live and long may he stay
Where his voice may be heard In the morning
Then ne spoke. In the windows were his
colleagues. whose views on football he
knew SO we'll. and in front OF him were
his boys" who yearned for the restora-
tion OF the sport.
Il would like TO speak to you." said Van
Am" but / cannot speak on what you
want me to talk about. But 1t is a good
adage to speak out for what you want"
Shrieks of we want footballv' rent the
air.
Yes" he continued. but you know I
cannot give 1t to you. You have behaved.
as I have always known you to behave