Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1911-12-12
Hodges Inaugurs ton at University.


/ to 4, was the most brilliant occai
sion in the history OF the university.
and the unanimous way in which re-
gents, faculty, student body, alumni
and prominent men Of the state
pledged him their support augurs wen
for the increased usefulness OF the
university.
The weeks festivities opened with
tile address Of President Taft on We'd
nesday morning. After viewing the
city, President Taft breakfasted with
DR.. |. c. White. president OF the Nor
gantown board Of trade, then address.
ed 1000 school children of the city.
who were gathered on the lawn. Al
II o'clock the president addressed the
university and citizens, giving mem
orable address on "World Wide
Peace" in which he very clearly ex
planned the arbitration treaties with
England and France, which he is urg
ing the United States senate to ap
prove. The people believe in Presi.
dent Taft's peace program, and his
clear statement of the matter was
warmly welcomed. The president and
his party, Gov. Glasscock and his staff,
the board of regents, and the board OF
control were then entertained at
luncheon by President Hodges.
Thursday evening was occupied by
an educational program and was pre-
sided over by M. p Shawkey, presi-
dent of the board of regents. Ad-
dresses were made by Dr. Dresslar,
representing the United States bureau
of education, and President Alderman,
of the University Of Virginia.
DR.. Dresslar's theme was the re-
lation of modern scholarship to hui.
man life and to the national life, a
scholarship the end and aim of which
is service. He defended the thesis
that the people have right to look
for help and guidance from the state
university along all lines Of investi-
cation which may lead to the discov.
cry of truth.
President Alderman made strong
plea for the university being the ex.
ponent of true democracy, which he
defined as spirit, religion, a mystic
faith, belief in man. He held that
this democracy needs not only
strength and courage, but beauty, dig
nifty, good taste, grandeur, that in fact
the business of democracy is to trans
form itself ultimately into an aristoc.
racy in the best chronological and his.
torical sense of the word, aristocracy.
On Friday morning occurred the
presentation of greetings of the dele
gates of some fifty of the leading col
leges and universities from Maine to
Dakota, including Harvard, Yale and
William and Mary colleges, the Oldest
institutions in the country. The large
attendance of these delegates from
the leading institutions was a very
distinct compliment to Dr. Hodges,
and a great honor to the university.
Promptly at 10 o'clock, led by the
cadet band and members of the cadet
corps marching two abreast, the AGA.
demic procession moved from Martin
hall around the quadrangle at the uni
versity, down Front street and up the
steps to the rear of Commencement
hall. Here the cadet band halted and
stood at attention, while the cadet
corps formed in line on each side, and
the procession of robed scholars filed
slowly through. This academic pro
cession was brilliant affair. The
delegates and university faculty were
in academic gowns, the colors of the
L. nI0 l@s,- Il 4 H
stitutions.
On Friday afternoon occurred the
formal installation exercises, Gov
William E. Glasscock presiding.
Following his installation charge,
President Shawkey, of the board of re
gents, first called upon the members
of the board of regents to rise to
their feet, followed consecutively by
similar requests to the members of
the state board of control, the univer
sity faculty, the student body of the
university, and finally the remainder
of the audience, and asked them to
endorse the wisdom of the regents in
the selection of Thomas E. Hodges
In an instant loud cheering broke
forth and continued for two or three
minutes, followed by an enthusiastic
college yell from the student body.
Dr. Hodges arose and in a few words
graciously accepted the office. This
was the signal for another round of
applause and the big hall echoed with
the cheers of the crowd which filed it.
To- L, IT
yersity of Chicago, then made a schol-
arly address on THE University and
the State, showing the services which
modern universities may render to
the state, and what the state may
expect of them.
President VIM. o. Thompson. of the
Ohio State university, then spoke
upon the University and the People,"
in which, in his usually mastery style,
he described the services which the
universities may render to all classes
of people in the state.
The expansion of the functions of
the university and it's services to the
state, to all persons who desire to
avail themselves of the advantages
of higher education, and the assist
ance of its scholars and investigators
was the dominant note throughout the
Inauguration exercises, as if all pres
ent appreciated the thought which
was uppermost in the mind of Presi-
dent Hodges, which he so ably ex-
pressed in his inaugural address. Pres
ident Hodges briefly reviewed the
founding of the university and the
development of the different colleges.
Describing the early development of
the College of Arts and Sciences as
the foundation of the university's
growth, he said; ct was fortunate for
the university that in those pioneer