Hamilton College - Hamiltonian Yearbook (Clinton, NY)

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Horace Brinsmade Silliman, ELD. HE name of Horace B. Silliman is sure to live Iustrously in the annals of Hamilton College. What he has done for the College in is architecture is something which cannot be concealed. Yet it illustrates by contrast his fixed habit of doing good by stratagem, carefully shunning any public recog- nition of most timely and thoughtful generosities. It was due to his large- heartedness that Hamilton College has the distinction of being the tirst College in America, if not the first in the world to own an attractive hall purposely built and thoroughly furnished for the exclusive use of its Y. M. C. A. Mr. Silliman makes no concealment of his belief that wealth is put to one of its highest uses when architectural beauty is wrought with glad simplicity and made to minister to the comfort and beauly of Christian worship. This was one of his motives in building the costly Memorial Church in Cohoes, where his father, sixty years ago, prayertully and patiently nurtured the beginnings of what is now one of the strongest churches in theState. This was his motive for giving asumptuous reality to President Stryker's plan of enlarging the auditory of the College Chapel and making it an attractive place for students in their daily worship. Mr. Silliman is also wise in counsel and eloquent in public discourse, as is well remembered by those who heard his Sunday evening address at the Commencement of 1890. We copy below his address in the College chapel at the Presentation Holiday, November I6, 1897 : h Dr. Stryker said to me that I could speak as an adopted son of Hamilton. I have begun to feel as though I was an adopted father. The relation is a peculiar and most pleasant one. I can go back of where Mr. Benedict started. No doubt the eye of Dr. Stryker has much to do with it. But the spirit of Hamilton had more to do with it thirty years ago implanting in the heart and mind of Mr. Benedict that which is better than what is so much sought after by those who seek the approving murmur of the shallows. In his heart was planted a love of true classical education. Because he was true to the human- ities he built yonder Hall of Languages. He did well to build it. It not 12

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. 2:0 gorace $rinsmabe giffIman, 2.2,. E. TRUSTEE OF HAMILTON COLLEGE SINCE 1865, IN GRATEFUL RECOGNITION OF THE ENDOWED SILLIMAN SCHOLARSHIP, THEENDOWED HALL FOR Y. M. C. A. AND THE NEW IN? ERIOR OF THE ENLARGED CHAPEL. THIS VOLUME OF THE HAMILTONIAN IS MOST RESPECTFULLY Eebicateb.

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only gives needed class room, but it will serve as a monument to the classical spirit of Hamilton. Long may she endure and ever broaden in the depart- ments of scholarship. May the proud fame of Hamilton as a classxcal college be perpetuated as long as Doric simplicity shall be honored. or the acanthus leaf crown with beauty the Corinthian column, or the memory of the beloved and honored t Old Greek' shall endure immortal as the everlasting hills which his long and faithful services have consecrated to pure classical education. The Hall of Science was built in commemoration of a name which always has been, is now, and for many years to come will be, honored in its history and experience. It is built to show that Hamilton is not merely a classical school. While she is not aping those of more pretensions. she still pretends and intends to give to every student here a fundamental and thorough education in every- thing which may fit a man for that all around life for which he is made. May this feature of Hamilton College remain. I believe in every sphere of science, which is classified knowledge; everything which teaches history and raises it to a higher level will find a place in Hamilton. There has not been room here before, but there has been room at the top, and Hamilton has filled it, too. Hamilton has never been cowardly in her recognition of the Christian religion. She has always been true and undefiled before God the Father. She has always been faithful in studying the truth. Her young men have been taught that which enables them to say not creed, but credo The Hamilton man always says tI believe it,' and he is not afraid or ashamed to say so. The fathers built well and wisely when they built this Chapel, so that here this element might hnd lodgement and a home. Today I can congratulate the President, who has had his eye on this building also. He has seen to it that everything that shall make attractive this place shall be added to it. May it long have this characteristic. May it give to every young man fixed princi- ples that shall find lodgment in his heart. May the student always retain the memory of the Chapel andthe exercises that lifted him above all other sciences and all other language, and which led him to say, t I believe in truth. and Iam not ashamed to advocate and live the truthf' ,' l3