Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-06-26
SENIORS DAY At
THE UNIVERSITY
Acting President Perkins Tells
Class of 1919 That 1t Ranks
Highest in Individual Aca-
demic Standing of Any Class
within His Memory

Class day the second day of the Uni
versity Of Vermont commencement week.
was observed on the hill Monday, with
an unusually large attendance of alumni
and friends of the graduating class
Owing to the threatening weather dur
ing the early part OF the day, the regu-
lar class day exercises were held in the
gymnasium in the afternoon, II being
considered unsafe to move things out
of doors.
The events of the day were break
fast at the Hotel Vermont In the
morning, attended by the senior girls;
the class walk at nine o'clock. during
which the professors on the hill were
visited. the regular class day exercises
IN the gymnasium at two o'clock in the
afternoon. followed by receptions in the
various fraternity houses, Phi Beta
Kappa meeting, a meeting OF the trus-
tees and the annual senior promenade
in the Billings library in the evening.
THE CLASS WALK
During the class walk Monday morn
ing, Dean Perkins, acting president of
the university told the seniors that
the class Of 1919 ranks the highest in
individual academic standing OF any
class in his memory, which is saying a
great deal when it comes to be consid-
cred that Dean Perkins has just com
pleted his 50th year at the college. The
class has an unusually large number
of ''cum laude" students. and there will
be big addition to the Phi Beta Kappa
society from the Nineteen lin teeners.
Besides the home of Acting President
Perkins and Prof II. F.. Perkins, the
other homes visited were those of Dean
j. w Votey, Prof. G. G. Groat. Prof.
Edward Robinson, Prof. w. T.. Aiken
and Prof. Edward Topper Professors
Aiken and Topper treated the members
of the class to cigars and chocolates
CLASS DAY EXERCISES
The campus presented a gala appear
ance Monday afternoon. when tho
alumni. relatives and friends of the
graduates assembled to attend the an
nual class day exercises. The gym
nasium was practically filled. so far as
the lower floor was concerned, and the
exercises were carried out in most
successful manner. Browns orchestra
furnished music for the occasion. Led
by the class marshal, Kenneth e. Spaud-
ing, the members of the senior class
marched from the Billings library to the
gymnasium, the speakers taking their
places on the platform, while the other
graduates had the places of honor in the
center of the hall.
Leon l. Patten. president of the class
of 1919 presided at the exercises and
was the first speaker on the program,
with the presidents address. He said,
in part:
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS
ut is an old. time-honored custom that
every class about to be graduated from
the University Of Vermont should gather
as an organization for the last time
in the exercises Of Class day. 1t is a
great pleasure for me to extend in the
name of the class a most cordial well
come to all the friends and relatives of
the class of 1919, present for the first
| time at one of our class meetings
Each successive commencement sea-
son has usually seen our beautiful campus
the background Of just such an assembly
AS this to-day. Inspired prophets have
foretold wonderful careers for their class
mates; naive and ingenious historians
have carefully rocounted deeds of valor
on diamond and gridiron; profound essay
lists have solved most OF the worlds
weighty problems and silver tongued ora
tors have Numbered their platitudes of
advice to undergraduates.
II believe this class has a far different
attitude as it approached the end OF it's
student work. We have seen enough of
the serious side OF life to realize how flu
tile and puerile would be our attempts to
change the trend Of events in a moment.
1t is said that the Observation-Disclosures Of
the average college man or woman is at
first colossal-and later inf,nitesinal
"Althoueh we as a class do not differ
essentiallv in anv natura, ptfts mr. endow-
ments from our nredecesrors we have
had f,r diraron, couoge exnerience
Much of tho fr,yo,ty ~ c;1Ieee ito IN nor
moi twas yas dora ava Orr stav bers
has san,, .ho 80, ~ 80 I-ni,ad S,atas
49, 49, ',. =. a. ~. .,u,.
~ we "o.u war "as ' .,r,..
anu justice it mas seen .'e e'o'S VI Jul
WY 80 anu 'ne re.u,n 81 pe -
-. we are no" ia.,is tne 'pen -,
,ns;.t,no. NJ ,a,oa vii, ,,.a 10 oh,a 70
shift unwelcome responsibility to the
shoulders of others"
| Il believe that l can truthfully say
that this class, more than any which
mas gone before, mas peeh proush'
face to race with the fact that whiie
we were merely IN the preparatory
stage or our role OF citixenship' we
were living IN nation ana worio
and not upon campus
Just now the opportunities TOT
service are greater than AT any time
IN the history OF the WorId. There Is
not one Oh US VINO Will not sooner OF