The New York herald., 1922-07-02
Auld Lang Syne on
the College Campus

wives ana children--some, themselves
graduates-to their fellow Benedicts
| as we'll as to those less fortunate. ths
| few solitary waits and strays. ms
bachelors of no degree. Then. after a.
lunch for all. like a great happy FAM
| ily, all go TO the ball game where our
| doughty nine will have its f1ftieth or
| sXueth annual contest with its an
cient rival. II is pleasant If we win.i
but the thrills are ours any way. II L.
\ after all but fillip for the great EVENT.
| Of the reunion, tie class dinner thaI
evening to which in fact everything4
has led up. The reknitting of old tie8
that has preceded IL. the renewing Oh
the dear old acquaintanceskip and
other previous happenings have pre-l
pared us to enjoy the dinner" morei
as a real feast of reason and flow Of
| soul than as merely the satisfaction
! OF physical appetite-though that goes.
very well with 1t.
AS man once put IL after travelling
| half across the continent to be pres-i
ent: 1T is a peculiar pleasure to,
come into a company OF men, EACH
of whom he is glad to be with, and Of
whom he cannot but feel that each is
| glad to have him there" He knows OF,
| no other such assembIage. And sof
from the Atlantic to the Pacific. andk
from the Great Lakes to the Gulf, and
even from beyond those boundaries.
the old boys" have come to be to-
gether once more
Sense of Values Has
Changed in the Years
AS the years have gone on our.
sense of value has improved. Our
conceptions of success" have very.
materially changed and our respect
for those whose paths in life have
differed widely from our own vastly
increased. provided only that they
have been reasonably true to them
selves and to their ideals. Certainly
In the preceding day or two we have
seen much OF each other; neverthe-
less. the more general condolences Of
the dinner seem TO constitute the cap
sheaf. the consummation Of the gath
ering.
1t Is delightful TO have the noted
Jurist speak as a mere man. and the
successful manufacturer take the
same level as the charming but brief
less barrister; the banker who has
skillfully manipulated millions in the
development Of great enterprises talk
ing with the same simple sincerity as
the editor who has swayed multi
tudes: and the medical missionary
with a wonderful record of accom-
plishments, left temporarily behind
him in the Far East, assuming no
more Importance than the brave fell
low whose life has been one long,
plucky struggle with besettng bodily
; infirmities, and so on through the list
The inevitable trials, disappointments
and failures each has experienced In
his own sphere have made us all very
tender in our appreciation of each
other. Then there are those who have
! gone before us, and somehow when
/ the class is met together the men,
cries of them become so clear and so
dear that they seem somehow to be
! still with us. All too fast the golden
] hours speed by and the midnight hour
} has been long past ere we realize 1t;
. then a regretful parting and we go
t our ways feeling that it was good TO
+ have been there.
2 And the next day comes commence
= ment. 1t is considerably changed in
Y form since our time-swallowtail coats
and silk hats are no longer the rule.
The faculty are now all garbed in
yoluminous gowns that would be SOM
f, Der except for the weird streaks of
violet, indigo blue. yellow. red and
green with which they are variously
emblazoned, and the candidates for
degrees they too wear gowns, but
they seem TO have no decorative trim
mings-their effect is somber. There
: is a perfunctory dignity about 1t all
that perhaps is the modern expires
sion of the simple dignity that char
! acterized that former occasion when
we were graduated Underneath II
all. however, the budding youngsters
remind us very much of ourselves
as we were years ago.
: Few of us linger through the exer-
cises, TIE dmming charm OF mead
quarters has still a potent attraction.
Many of the boys left us this morning.
and others are going; but there still
remains a respectable number to oc-
cupy the tables, now we'll down front
under the speakers platform. that
have been reserved for the class at tie
commencement dinner. We are get
ting too near the jumping off place
The dinner. too. has changed. the
old hall in which II was formerly given
could not accommodate tie multitude
that now attend. There is a great.
new. magnificent room with the walls
covered with portraits OF former digni-
taries TO make IL seem like home
there are. too. comfortable seats and
real tables. The viands upon them are
also new. The old chickens that, II
reports are accurate. saw service at
: so many successive commencenents
long since departed to their we'll
earned rest. II is an interesting crowd
Of graduates that line the great array
Of tables
The feast is soon disposed Of. and
the great assembly settles back In ex-
pectant silence 10 listen for awhile 10
the wisdom OF the president of their
alma mater--to some OF her natural
sons upon whom she has conferred
higher degrees. as well as to some of
those whose merits have gained for
them the proud position of adopted
sons. II is noble audience TO speak
10 and most Of TIE speakers rise TO II.
But the seats are hard and most OK
, us. lacking some of the enthusiasm OF
, ] fn