28
THE BATTALION.
the end of a tunnel that has taken us
four years to pass through. Our be
loved President has watched us with an
eye of deep interest and the Feculty,
assisted by their associates and as
sistants, have kept the headlight of in
struction brightly burning through the
entire journey, but to-day we have
reached the end of our college career
and with a few parting words of ad
vise from those who have advised and
trained ,us here, we shall meet face to
face with the world. Much will be ex
pected of us by those who have interest
in us. In whatever sphere of life we
may engage, whether it be professional
or industrial, let us follow David
Crockett’s motto, “Be sure you are
right, then go ahead.”
We see before us many visitors
whom we heartily welcome to our
Commencement, and we hope that
your presence may prove as pleasant
to you as it is agreeable to us; it gives
us encouragement to meet bravely the
duties that lie ahead of us. Among
you are many whom this college has
already prepared for the duties of life.
You have made and thus far main
tained a spotless record in the business
and professional world, record of which
any institution ought to be proud, and
I will assure you this one is. We hear
the voices of the Alumni of this college
in our legislative halls, we see them
in prominent positions on our railroads
and elsewhere; then we see them pop
ular as professional men, lawyers and
physicians. They come back to-day
to extend to us the hand of fellowship,
and now that we help them carry the
honor of this institution that she
places in the hands of all of her grad
uates, let us be sure not to stain the
spotless record she bears.
We are living in an age when, with
out an education, a man must be a
“hewer of wood and drawer of water.”
Why should not this generation ac
complish more than any that preceded
it? The young men of to-day have the
experience of those whose life work has
ended before ours begun, and never in
the history of the world has its peo
ple had the grand opportunities in the
way of receiving an education, that we
enjoy to-day; in other words, as the
world grows in age it grows in knowl
edge, and when we strike deep water
we will have to swim or drown; if we
drown, it will be our fault and not that
of our alma maters.
In future years it shall be with the
deepest pride and an everlasting in
terest that shall call to mind this
dear old college with its beautiful cam
pus and magnificent buildings.
Gentlemen of the Board, some of you
just a short time ago took the care
of this institution upon yourselves, but
we have great confidence in you and
expect to see our alma mater flourish
under your government.
Honorable President, with to-day
ends your second year as President o r
this college. We feel in more ways
than one your love for and interest in
the welfare of the students placed here
under your supervision. In time oL
trouble we have always found you an
able and willing adviser, and now as
we are about to part with you I find
myself unable to express in words the
love and esteem that we have for you.
But we know so long as you stand at
the helm of this institution, success
will crown its efforts to fulfill the pur
poses of its creation.
Members of the Faculty: To you we
owe our greatest thanks; you are the
ones who have explained those things
that, without assistance, we would
have been unable to master, and I will
assure you that your patience and
kindness will long be remembered by
this small body of young men that you