The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-06-16
PRAISE AND PROPHECY
FROM Or. ALDERMAN
University's President Addresses Gen.
erai Alumni Association at Great
Meeting Yesterday.
NEW ALUMNI MOVEMENT.
CongratuIates Work of Those Who
Have Brought About Great Revival
OF Interest-Proud of New Degree
Men

Charlottesville. Va. June l5.--On,
of the principal events in the com.
mencement calendar at the University
of Virginia was President Alderman
address before the General Alumni
Association. He said:
"A valued colleague Of mine fire..
ga ~ ,"rg.es into my office detis r
ID, t'at lie has three tnil Is thai lac
wan; TO confer about. Tk2 .ngse
generally expand into seven. Long
academic custom has imposed on me
the privilege and duty of attempting,
10 do, on this occasion. very briefly
three things, which / shall seek not
TO expand into a greater number: &c
speak the word OF praise for those
who deserve It; to interpret the pres
ent: to forecast the future.
First, To speak the word Of praise
for those who deserve it,
'(a) The University of Virginia
has never had a faculty of great
er devotion to duty, greater ability
for their task. and greater RESPONSE
bility for scholarship and academic
service. | wish to take off my hat,
hguratively, TO them. and TO wish them
renewed strength for the coming year.
"(b) The University has never had
a Board OF Visitors who took their
duty more seriously, cared for the in
stitution in large ways, more intel
ligently and devotedly: and I want
10 take of my hat to them.
'tc( | am proud OF the l54 men
who this day have entered into our
alumni fellowship. ana who, tomor-
row, will become degree men of this
University. They have won by hard
work their just honors. They are
trained men. and thirty years from
now, when they have had their fling
at the world. l venture to predict
that there will he among them leaders
in american life, such leaders as
Governor Manning, guiding into lar
ger life the destinies of a great state
as John Sharp Williams, illustrating
for two decades. in the large fields
of public life, the best traditions of
scholarship and character.
Praises Alumni Movement.
"(d) The most significant praise
would care TO make would be praise
to the new alumni. inauagurated by
the class of 1886 being carried for
ward with determination, energy and
devotion by out Alumni Recorder,
Lewis D. Crenshaw, and resulting in
the organization of classes and the
return to their Alma Mater of earnest
and devoted men. Out of this move
ment untold good may and will come,
/ have the dream that some plan
may be worked out by which large
numbers of alumni would come to see
us at some set date IN the term In
order that they may see the Uni
versity in it's working clothes on the
jOb--and themselves see what is be-
ing done and what needs to be done.
Second. My second duty is &c
try to interpret the present. The
year 1915 has been. in this Univer-
sity. a year OF quiet earnestness and
distinction. Each year has per
sonality.
/ "(a) In our Law School, we have
reached a point where It is easy Il
see that the operation of the three
! year law course has resulted not only
/ in greater knowledge OF the law tC
those who graduate, but what is more
+ important, in ripening of their lega
! judgment a more philosophical back
ground for their great science, anC
! trained power to master books
and to Use them so as to get out o1
them their very hearts.
"(b) In our Medical School the
great readiustment from school 81
almost pure didact!Cs TO a school o.
experimental science has been carried
to logical conclusions with the devel
opment of a really great clinic in g
small town. and its future is full ot
t brightness and power.
"(c) In our School of Engineering
there has come about a complete log
/ ical orga nization with sufficient force
and sufficient equipment to justify
us in claiming equal place with The
I best engineering schools of America.
Have Kept the Faith.
"(d) In the college. or academi
! department, I take leave to mentor