The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-06-27
TALKS ABOUT OLD
DAYS At COLLEGE
FORMER PRBspENT MERRITT
HAS INTERESTING REUNION
ON OAHU CAMPUS.

College, when, from 1883 TO 1890, he
was its president, the Rev. William
Carter Merritt spoke, Friday afternoon
on the Punahou campus, to many of
his old friends and those who passed
their student days under bis guidance.
In his address, he said:
''I would not conceal the pleasure 1
feel in this privilege Of once more
meeting and greeting you here in this
our beautiful home-growing more
beautiful with. the years. / appreciate
as never before the words Of the aged
apostle when he wrote
+ 81 have. NO greater joy than to
hear, that my children walk in the
BTnth.f, (II1 John ~ The joy feel
in this splendid growth of Punahou-in
| the knowledge that so many of the boys
and girls of my day have made
good, / can not fully express, but
i do thank you, Mr.. President of the
alumni, for this privilege of meeting
| so many Of you here today. In all
this Mrs. Merritt would join me. In
the very few minutes allotted to me,
shall group what l want to say, as l
come back, after these twenty-one
years and scrutinize this school and its
opportunities as we'll as its achieve
ments, under three general heads;
"First. The place and influence of
Oahu College.
"Second The significance of the in
dividual life in Hawaii mel; and
| Third. Ny own boys and girls and
their work.
/ The influence.
1.-THE place and influence Of Oahu
College. Punahou was fortunate in its
founding the missionary fathers.
1t was fortunate in its spirit from its
inception. The spirit of growth and
of the greatest good to the greatest
number, that led to its first charter,
then to its second charter and enlarged
life as Oahu College. 1t is not saying
too much to say that the influence of
the students of this school has been
registered in a large way upon the
character and development of these Is
lands. In an exceptional sense the
boys and girls of Punahou have made
1 Hawaii nei what she is. For the last
thirty-five years they have been prac-
tieally guiding her development and
destiny.
Look at these names and see how
true it is: First of all must stand the
name of Sanford B. Dole, the intrepid,
fearless leader in all that pertained to
the best for these Islands. Born here,
he has been loyal to Hawaii mel, and
the Hawaiian people and principles in
a most conspicuous way. He has writ
his name large in Hawaiian history by
his spirit as we'll as his deeds. 1 name
alphabetically a few of the other stu
q dents who have done great service:
The Alexanders, the Athertons, the
Baldwins, the Castles, the Cookies, the
Damonsf Governor Frear, the Judds,
the Rices, the Smiths, the Wilcoxes and
many others. The glory of Punahou
shines out in the splendid contribution
of these men and women to the life
and character of Hawaii nei, In an.
other matter I am inclined to think
that the history of this school is alb.
solntely unique, viz: Where is there
another body of alumni and alumnae
who have given pro bono publico as
those of Punahou7 I do not know
, them-and 'the quality of their philan.
thropy is not strained These Islands
and this college are safe in your hands
The Old Spirit.
"And this leads me to say, II. In
diyidual life counts for more in the
! smaller community, hence the individ
: ual life is the more important. This
: is true in the hOme-in the small city
in the small State.
And strong character is developed
, under and in the stress of conflict. The
! hardships of the old days helped tC
make men and women of real character
! land power. In the United States this
element of community life that is con
tributing the largest number of lead
/, ers to business, to, the professions, tt
i state and national political life-ii
: that of the small farmer who owns hi!
!, land, but whose boys and girls worl
as well as study. Strength of charae
ter and the ability to do things de
yelop under those conditions.
~ am afraid of luxury; 1 am mo-
afraid of hardships When we weri
at Punahou in the sos the limitation
and the hardships were real It wa
E plain living in those days, but 1 be
lieve it was conducive to high think
ing and character building.
Tribute.
CHI. And so pass to the Punahol
of 'S3 to 80, during which 446 boy
I and girls came here to school-to thu
a college and preparatory school. Ant
q hrst 1 want 10 pay tribute TO TN
teachers of those days, the facultie
: of the two schools over which pre-
) sided. There were royal men and won
|. en- among them. Edmund b. Sanfor'
e is now president of Clark College
q Worcester, Massachusetts, an educa
6 tional leader. Walter +. Frear ha
n helped in splendid fashion to make bis
It tory here, as chief justice and now a
e governor. A. ID. Bissell has been 70
s twenty years q professor of Pomon
College, California. Miss Cnshman wa
Il professor in the University of Idah
e until she retired for rest. name fel
n others alphabetically; Margaret Brew
J. eri Carrie Castle, Mrs. Hanfordj Pre-
J. fessor Lyons, Miss Malone, Miss Snow
Mas spooner, Prof. Van Dyke, and
think ] should not omit Mrs. Merritt
name, All OF them choice workers, a
y we're others / can not take time /
b name, But when ! turn 10 this stl
9 dent lat, and 20 oyeF tbs 40 nance
i and learn Of their work, feel iha
= HE Fpuah0u Of my day had som
70 splendid material IN II, The manhoo
= aud womanhood these hoya end girl
4 Aau a -