Evening star., 1923-10-12

| ing administrative ability have been
large factors in placing the univer-
sity on the sound foundation which
II now occupies, Dean Howard L.
Hodgkins.
Charts Future Course.
1t has been suggested to me that
this would be an auspicious occasion
on which to outline the policy of the
new administration. AS / understand
1t, 1T is your desire that 1 chart the
: course which we are to sail together
use that figure of speech to lead
your thought easily and naturally to
the fact that tomorrow is the four
hundred and thirty-first anniversary
of the arrival in our midst of that
! well known sailor Christopher Co
lumbus. We are aiming at certain
goal in the university. and 1t is well
to note that the reason Columbus
reached his objective was because he
possessed three elements that spell
success for the Individual or for the
nstitution-knowledg the ability to
obtain assistance and answering de-
: termination. Columbus had scientific
knowledge far ahead of his time. He
knew that the word was round when
other men thought 1t was square.
You are attending the university pri-
marily to learn how to use your
minds so that they may serve you
well, both in your own advancement
and in the service of your generation
ship high. We will offer every in
centive to the eager and ambitious
student and discourage those who
steadily refuse to take advantage OF
what the university offers. And when
I saw we will hold the standards OF
scholarship high 1 recognize that that
means definite responsibility on the
part of the university TO provide the
best possible working conditions Tor
the students, to have the proper reel
bo11 1phnr1tOrleS
libraries.
..That brings me to the second les
son we learn from Columbus. nanels'
his ability to secure assistance
There is one striking difference De,
tween Christopher Coiumous anu G
George Washington University-Co-
lumbuS got the money from isapeiiI
before he obtained crew.
Here we have a crew or more thaI
Z 600 without the desired conven1ences
and equipment that money VIII puy.
But we are entering a new day. MANY
months ago, under the leadership oi
John B. Larner, chairman OF tne poaru
of trustees. and Dean HooskIms;i d
a building plan. Yesterday the board
of trustees of the university author-
ized the immediate beginning OF the
first unit of that plan, and Wltnln
the ground broken, and next year
there will be ready for your use
building as well fitted for its pur-
poses as that possessed by any UNI.
yersity. And around that hrst unit
will spread university plant Wnlch
will stir your pride, in the quad
ranele of which there will be an out
door auditorium where our entire
university may assemble. ana stand
here to pledge to you students OF tne
university that we will never De sat
isfied until we not only have COM
plete and splendid plant for recita-
tions and lectures and laboratories
but ample and modern facilities, for
your school activities and for all
forms of wholesome physical recrea-
tion.
Stresses Determination.
but in making the pledge l ask you
to remember the third element in the
character of Columbus-determina
I ask you to understand that our hopes
cannot be realized in a day. We Will
advance each day, each month and each
year toward our goal, but only with
patience and determination. Nor does
that mean that we must sit patiently Dy
and await results. We must, this year
make the best of what we have. FIVE
thousand students with spirit ana de-
termination can make an outstanding
success of the years activities. despite
those things which draw us together
and reduce those things which pull us
apart. 1t is our university, our class
room, our assembly, our Hatchet ana
Cherry Tree, our debate team, our foot
ball team. our basket ball team, and no
ones else. But these enterprises OF
ours can only develop as they should
and can only reflect honor and credit
upon US If We give unsparingly and
loyalty of ourselves to them. Behind us
lies a century of glorious achievement
in this university. Before us is future
just as great as you and | will make II.
I call upon you, as I call upon myself.
to give the best that is in us TO tine
service of the institution which bears
the proudest name of any in our land.
the George Washington University"
Edward l.. Sche ufier. senior law stu
dent at the university, replied to the
presidents address on behalf of the
students, and pledged the faith and
trust of the entire student body in
the future Of the institution. AS we
leave here for the various parts of
the country and the world we want
to feel that we are leaving the great
est educational institution on earth"
declared Mr.. Scheufler, who stated
that President Lewis had the key to
the hearts of the students In the short
time he had been at the university
and urged that the students lend
every effort in the institutions ad-
vancement.
Students Present Key.
AS the ceremonies proceeded the
crackle of rifles and the boom of
guns from an Army demonstration
on the other side of the Monument
grounds inspired those present with
thoughts of Bunker HILL Brandywine
and Yorktown, and as Emerson
Moore and Cathrine Hough, students
of the university, in the role of
George and Martha Washington,
drove up in the inaugural coach of
President Grant to present the key
of the university to the new presf-
dent the booming guns. which re-
echoed the sound of the victories of
the commander of the revolutionary
army, were drowned out ;. by the
cheers of the students for the patron
of their university and his lady.