The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-06-09
Annual Alumni Address
Delivered by Prof. C. W. Welch Class Of 79, of Hous-
ton. Texas, Before Alumni Association of NeW-
berry College, Tuesday, June &, 1911


culiarlv so to the young men and wo-
men who are about to begin the Jour-
ney Of life. Equally interesting is this
occasion to their relatives and friends
who have come together to insure to
them a propitious start, to wish them
a successful career, and to wave them
fond adieu. We all rejoice that we
are present to observe the evidence
Of their bouyant hopes and feel the
throb Of their glad hearts, as, with
happy confidence, they enter the
great highway of achievement
To me it is not merely a pleasure
but a great privilege to be with you
on this occasion.
''This is my own, my native land"
The heart swells with a pride that
is pardonable and the foot treads with
a frmness that makes for confidence,
when I reflect that I stand once more
on the soil where lies the dust of my
ancestors and visit again the scenes
Of my early lie, "as fond recollection
presents them to view"
The man who has pitched his tent
near the tent of his father, and there
has lived, loved, and 1abored, and there
expects, at the close of life, to sleep
in his final rest, can have little appre-
eiation of the feelings of one who, af-
Ter a. long absence, comes home again
to enjoy the hearty welcome and the
warm nandshake Of the friends Of his
youth and the comrades of his college
days.
The memories Of other J1luoS and
the absence Of old familiar faces
crowd thick and fast upon me as I
stand here to deliver to you my mes
sage and commune with you for one
brief hour. My feelings are not un-
mixed nor are my emotions altogether
joyous. On this platform some chairs
are empty, some faces missing. Amid
all these changes, feeling of sadness
comes unbidden as I long "for the
3ouch of vanished hand and the
sound OF a voice that is STILL" for
The touch of hand that spoke for the
heart; for the sound Of a voice that
was but the echo Of the soul; for the
HAND and the voice Of John Eusebius
Berry. Many eventfu1 years have
come and gone since his manly form
was laid to rest in Old Lexington, but
his unse1fsh life and his high purpose
will always be an inspiration to the
six that remain to labor and to wait.
Ideals.
Thirty-two years ago, on an impro-
vised platform in the old court house,
the class Of '79 celebrated 1ls COLI
mencement day. We had finished our
sollege course and we're ready, indeed
eager, to receive our diplomas and be-
gin life's journey. AS we stood on the
shore and looked ahead of Us across
the great ocean, we could see no har-
Dor in the distance Whether the voy-
age was to be long or short, calm or
stormy, successful or disappointing,
no herald was there to proclaim, no
prophet to foretell.
Looking into your faces today, I
recognize comparatively few who were
then present to beam their smiles
upon US and to shower US with their
benedictions. The men who had been
our instructors and guides, who had
by precept and example held up be-
fore US the ideals of life and to whom
that day we we're to bid a fond fare
well; men, whom to know was priv
ilege, and to sit at whose feet was the
opportunity Of lifetime; men who
gave themselves in willing service to
our development, ignoring the siren
Co11 w udIS4 1d1 81 CoLA0oS duO NAOOo-
ing rather to serve in the realms of
the spiritual than lose themselves in
the jungle> of selfish greed, have an
swered at the roll-call on the other
side, leaving behind them for US a
glorious heritage.
Deprived of the life Of these men
and the fruition of their labors, New
berry would have sustained an ire
parable loss. And I would that the
iron tongue of the old college bell
could be made to articulate; and that,
when it rings out each morning it's
cal to the duties Of the day, it might
peal forth alternately the names of
Smeltzer and Holland, as it summons
the youth Of Carolina to come and
drink Of the sweet wa+arc and !ha ill