Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-20
HOLD ALUMNI DAY
EXERCISES PENN
Several Hundred Old Graduates
Attend Services in Uni
,yersity Chapel
OTHER EVENTS PLANNED

Alumni Day exercises at the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania opened TO-DAY
with an all University chapel service
led BY DR.. Edgar Fahs Smith, retiring
provost, in College Hall. at II o'clock.
Several hundred of the alumni who
had been making an inspection tour of
the campus earlier in the morning were
present at the service.
An alumni luncheon was held at =
o'clock in Houston Hall for the mem
bers of the facultr and the alumni
guests. This was followed by the an
uual alumni meeting in the same build
ing.
Doctor Smith made the address of the
occasion
The last event on the program on
the campus will be the dinner of the
Pbilomathean Society in Houston Hall
AZ $50 o'clock.
The banquet of the General Alumni
Society will be held in the ballroom of
the Bellevue Stratford at I O'Clock this
evening.
Doctor Smith May Reconsider
There is a possibility that Doctor
Smith will reconsider his resignation
as nrovost.
The board of trustees is making every
effort to retain Doctor Smith Their
action, with the sentiment Of many of
the alumni attending the conference in
Wilmington of the Associated Penusyl-
vania Clubs, who have also expressed
a desire that. Doctor Smith remain is
being given serious thought by the pro-
vost.
In view of the fact that Doctor
Smiths resignation has not yet been
accepted by the board, many believe
the discussion of a successor is some
what premature.
Those facts were learned from John
G. Bell. a member of the board of trus
tees. Mr.. Bell added that no formal
offer thus far had been made to Doctor
Smith. but that this will be done at
the earliest onportunity.
Doctor Smith would not say this aft
ernoon4whether he agreed or disagreed
with recommendations contained in the
report of the committee on the welfare
of the University made at Wilmington.
The recommendations were hailed as
radical thruSts at the democratic tradi-
tions of Penn when the report was sub
mitted.
Doctor Smith only shook his head to-
day when asked il he SUPPORTED or op-
posed those recommendations.
Academic Training First
''As retiring provost he said. Il
do not think ] should discuss that mat
ter He did say, however that
he intended reaffirming before the
alumni the ideas he had expressed be-
fore concerning the need of an academic
college training as preliminary to pro
fessional study.
II still feel that a man should have
college training before he takes up his,
professional course" said the provost.
"in order to fit himself for broad view
of his lifework
This is Just as true in my own pro-
fession of chemistry as in law, medicine,
architecture, Or engineering.
IA man may BE- fully competent to
anaty2e a lump OF coal, but the chemist
who is of use to mankind is the chemist
who has the hrf view which sees the
possible nses of all the constituent parts
of that lump of coal
Nowadays. we do not throw coal
tar into the river. We have discovered
its manifold uses
Faculty Deplores Resignation
1t became known this afternoon that
meeting of the combined faculties of
the University passed a resolution ex-
pressing regret at the resignation of
Provost Smith, and deploring the fact
that he was forced to shoulder the bur
den of the Univ ersity's financial welfare
In addition to- his other duties.
The resolution expressing affection
for Doctor Smith was introduced bv DR.
Felix F. Schelling. and the motion for
adoption was made by DR.. Emory X,
johnson, deaf of the Wharton School.