The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-09-23
MIDDLEBURY OPENS
IT'S 18TH YEAR
President Thomas Addressed Students
This Morning and Had Particular
Word to Say to the Enter
ing Class.

Middlebury, Sept. Middlebury col
lege opened for its 10th year this morn
| ing. Exercises were held in the Nc
Cullough gymnasium, at which President
Thomas addressed the students on "Thc
Old Record and the New Day." He said
in part:
Every student admitted TO our mum.
Der to-day has submitted a record OF
four years of preparatory work. That
record has been scrutinized carefully and
upon the basis of IL the faculty OF the
college, through its admission commit.
tee, has determined the students fitness
to pursue college work. Credentials are
often accompanied by letter something
like this--1 am unable to certify him in
several subjects, but | think he is more
serious and ambitious now, and | hope
you will see your way to admit him.
Sometimes an alumnus or business as
sociate of the applicants father writes
most urgent letters asking that the stu
dent be given a chance Notwithstanding
previous deficiencies, just one opportu-
nifty to redeem himself and show what
he can do.
1t is hard to turn deaf ear to such
appeals, but very wisely our admission
committee pay little attention to OPP
timistic prophecies based on general con-
They have learned by sad
experience that Ia AS and BIS in high
school record are worth many quires OF
general admiration. Their business is
to scan the record, as the judges watch
the tape at the finish of race indiffer-
emit to the shouts from the grandstand.
The only safe guide as to what a stu
lent will do in college is what he has
lIready done in school. Not what his
friends think and hope, nor even what
hey pray for, is the index of what the
college student will do, but the figures
which summarize his ability and indus
ny in his previous endeavors."
ITO the members of the incoming
lass:
ITO you in particular this is a fresh,
lew day. Perhaps never In your life
viii you have an opportunity to start
o nearly on equal terms with Others in
new task, like that which is yours
his morning. We have scanned your
ecord carefully, but from this moment
re forget it and Judge you by what you
o here. If you have come with high
it is yours to prove your
elf worthy of it. Your record will not
lst you long in the face of poor work.
you have had difficulty in admission,
on have now the chance TO put diff
srent record behind you. We shall do
ur best to give you fair field and not !
luch favor. We shall strive to bring Z
on the stimulus of inspiring contact !
18th the worlds achievements in litera- :
ire and in science, and we expect your t
,sponse We welcome you heartily and c
TX You to enter into the spirit and the
ride of our college. We are proud of $
lie men who have gone from our halls :
n ll5 years. We are proud of our
sritage from the people of Vermont, .
no claim ownership in us and expect :
ON us high public service. We are
'oud of heroic years of struggle, of the p
,lding fast to dignity and self-respect !,
the midst of poverty and suffering &
e are proud of our new hopes and new y
so rapidly coming to fulfill 3
ent. From this moment you are Mid
ebury men and women, and We yield a
you a share in the heritage which has |,
me to us from our fathers. May God 81
ess you, and bless the college. yours Al
ID ours, and make each new day true
the days that have gone, and yet bet. s.
r."