Evening journal., 1915-07-06
SENATOR DUPONT
.HONORS CADETS At
SOUTHERN school
Presents Jackson Hope
Medals at the Virginia
Military Institute
RESPONDS TO A TOAST
At The ALUMNI Dinner
Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL.

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL. !
LEXINGTON. Va. July 6.-United |
States Senator Henry A. DUPONT Of
Delaware was one of the principal I
speakers and presented the Jackson |
Hope medals at the commencement /,
exercises OF Virginia Military lnsti-
tute here recently. Senator DUPONT
who has a conspicuous record for
military service through the Civil
War, was honored in being invited by
the militxy institute officials 10 pre-
sent the medals. and in the course of
his address he referred TO the gal
lantry of Virginia Military Institute
cadets against whom he fought at the
battle Of New Market
Commencement week attracted a
large gathering OF distinguished men
from all parts of the south and east.
Senator dupont was a guest of honor
at the dinner and smoker of the Al
umni Association. over which Colonel
Joseph r. Anderson presided. Sena-
tor DUPONT responded TO the toast
THE United States" Other speakers
were. Hon. II. d. Flood. virginia.
T. o. Smith of Alabama. alma Ma
ter" Prof ID. c. Humphreys. wash
ington and Lee University" Major
Carter p. Johnston, u. S. Army. "The
Alumni" Carter Harrison. Glass OF
'75;" Major j. G. Lowell. retired.
United States Navy" John s. Wise,
Jr.. "Class of '95;" Col Henry c. Ford.
~ M. /. Faculty." Hon. George L.
Browning, "The Board OF Visitors"
Another feature OF commencement
week was the adoption, by the board
Of visitors. OF tentative plans for the
erection Of new Jackson Memorial
Hall II is hoped TO have the build
ing ready for occupancy by next COM
mencement Architecturally II Will
conform 10 the comprehensive plans
/ for the development of the Institute.
! The money to be used will be part
| of the 100000 appropriated by Con-
gress TO the Institute In March last
in consideration of the destruction OF
its properly hy FIRE during the Civil
War. Senator DUPONT was highly in.
strumental in having the reimburs-
ing bill passed by Congress. The
building will be for assembly and
gymnasium purposes, and will be So
by 120 feet.
Senator DUPONT in the course of
his speech in presenting the Jackson
Hope medals at the commencement
exercises. said;
"The authorities OF the Virginia
Military Institute have paid me the
great compliment of inviting me to
deliver the Jackson Hope medals for
the present year, and / am here for
this purpose: but before handing tho
medals to those who are entitled TO
receive them, / may be pardoned II |
say a few words In Acknowledgement
o. and in deep appreciation Of the
very warm welcome and extremely
kind hospitality which I have received
since my arrival herein striking
contrast. be II observed, to my reccp-
ton upon my previous visit TO Lexing-
ton during the Civil War, when the
only person connected with the In
stitute with whom had any con-
versation was the wife Of one of its
professors. and am glad to say | was
able TO render her some personal
service.
"Since my arrival here. have been
much impressed with the soldierly
bearing and evident military prof.
cheney Of the cadets of the Virginia
Military Institute, and the reflection
has come into my mind more than
once that had never seen them be-
fore nor had ever beheld any one IN
their uniform. save a former cadet ad-
iutant who came to West Point when
I was a member of the United States
Military Academy. and who. as | re-
member il. attracted considerable At
tention. Now. my friends, the state
ment which / have just made may
seem most extraordinary as coming
from one who was opposed TO the
cadets of the Virginia Military In
stitute at the battle Of New Market
and | do not wish you 10 infer that
the reason | did not see them on that
occasion was because | ran away al
their approach. as / did nothing OF
the kind. The fact was that heavy
pail of smoke enveloped the battle
field and concealed the Confederate
lines. which were only indicated by
the discharge Of musketry and con-
non. / did not know until some days
later that the Virginia Military In
stitute cadets had taken part in the
engagement. and after the war was
over we were all informed of the dis
1tinguished bravery and gallant con-
duct of the youthful soldiers at the
battle of New Market
Leaving now, my friends the
"reminiscences of the past, and turning
to questions of the present hour
there is a school of thought today In
our country which has enunciated
the dogma that where the task Is the
same the recompense should be iden-
tical; and although | do not know
that il has been attempted, except
in the industrial world, to put this
theory into practice. yet. If the dogma
be correct, Il should apply to every
form of human effort Let us see what
the results would. be If the theory II
question we're applied to scholastic
institutions: In the first place, 4
would eliminate class standing. al
there could be no recompenses in thu
shape of invidious distinctions be
tween those whose tasks or lessons
were the same, and the sole recon
pense would be of necessity purel
psychological and would consist o
the appreciation in each student
mind of the progress he was maxim
in his education and of the advan