Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-06-12
BATES COLLEGE
JUNIORS PLANT
IVY THURSDAY
Ceremony Marks Be-
ginningofCommence=
ment and Interest
ing ProgramGiven
Grafton on 1.-THE Cost Of Pro.
gress" by George B. Gustin

gIGSS U 0tUlgt D. UuSiliI
| Lewiston, Me, June 11.--At Carnegie
Science hall. on the side parallel with
| Skinner street, Lewiston, Bates Col
lege Juniors planted the ivy Thursday
afternoon, while hundreds of friends
were interested to watch the cere-
mony.
Orchestra music opened the program
at 2 o'clock and prayer was then Of
fered by Earle A, Harding. Another
selection by the orchestra and the pro-
gram was continued as follows:
Grafton ............ George B. Gustin
Ivy Day Poem go. Frances V. Bryant
Music
Toasts
The Faculty -. Elizabeth NJ. Wood
Social Life 49,. Esther Wadsworth
Colds ............. Henry L. Mullen
Our Boys ~. Mabel C. Durgan
Our Victories 666 Howard NJ. Wight
Prophecy ............... Cecilia Walsh
Singing of Ivy Ode ............. Glass
The subject of Mr. Gustin's Grafton
was THE Cost of Progress" He said
in part:
THE present age marks the sue
cessful elimination of centuries of
progress and achievement. The pres
ent may rightly be characterized the
age of the common people. England
after centuries of civil war and strife
l. ,Ir-y .,tte nt
kings and established a popular gov
eminent France has waded through
rivers of blood in terrible struggles
for her disinthrallment.
Foremost in the array of progress
ing virile nations stands the United
States. 1t has grown from few fee
BILE states to a vast continent of COM
monwealths. Our free press, our col
leges, churches and railroads are few
of the many agencies marking our
wonderful progress and development.
Our free government has braved for
eign and domestic wars and has been
purified in the crueible of conflict.
From the cool lakes of the North to
the sunny CULTS of the South, a homo
geneous people obey one constitution
and are devoted to one government.
AS we glance back over history lead
| ing up to the present time, it seems
| like a succession of mighty empires
each f1ourishing for time to be dis
placed by greater powers. Egypt, AS
syria, Babylon. Persia, Greece and
Rome have followed each other in this
grand procession to be at last displaced
by the great powers of today. But I'M
derneath this procession of great pow
ers we detect the harsh unfallible law,
the grim struggle for existence, the
clash of rival civilizations and ulti-
mateiy the survival of the fittest,
! Everywhere we see evidence of
heavy tolls which progress exacts from
her benefactors. England has achiev-
ed her present greatness only through
the medium of civil war and strife.
The progress of France Is measured by
the death of thousands. China is toI
day in the midst of a mighty trans
formation. They have civil wars in
that vast country compared with
which ours are but spasms. Thousands
perish each year as the result OF the
slow and resistless progress that is
Transforming the nation.
Let US turn last of all to our own
country and try to gain conception
of what our progress has cost. The In
dian was exterminated that there
might be room for the white man.
For 10 years we sheltered in our midst
the terrible institution of slavery. But
we banished 1t from our country. But at
what enormous cost? Tens of thousands
of soldiers In prime of manhood and mil
lions upon millions of dollars was the
price we paid to preserve the union and
abolish slavery.
Throughout our history every achieve.
ment we have accomplished has been at
the sacrifice of our noblest sons. Our
flag is woven of heroism, of sacrifice and
anguish, but finally of triumph and
glory.
We see that the ways of progress are
hard. Its laws are relentless and cruel.
War, slavery tyranny, superstition,
famine and pestilence. the want and mis-
cry that tester in modern civilization are
the impelling causes that drive men on
by eliminating the lower types and ex-
tending the higher. Let us realize that
no honest earnest effort for the welfare
of mankind can be in vain, but that IL
will send a quickening influence through
uncounted ages and contribute to the
coming of that future of intelligence,
freedom and peace which we would our
selves attain but cannot. Though we
may not ourselves partake of those bitter
days ours may be the pleasure at least
of foreseeing them, of enjoying them In
vision or the satisfaction, sweeter still,
of fastening the coming of that too dis
tant epoch.
The Ivy day poem was given by Fran
ces V. Bryant.