Case Western Reserve University - Lux / Differential Yearbook (Cleveland, OH)

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The . Iciidcmic I ' roci ' ssion Lctn Adelhert Steps. the THE INAUGURATION By Wkn ' dki.i. A. 1 ' i..s(;k.m- The dawn of a lU ' w epoch in the history of an in tiiiiiion is seldom heralded by an event more auspicions. more prophetic for the future, and more genuinely en- couraging to those who lia ' r tri en hard in the can e and have dared to hope, than ihat which (jccurrcd in tlu ' Adelhert College Gymnasium on October 9, 1924. ' I ' lu ' commitments made on that occasion, the excellent pros- pects for the future which were revealed while Reserve stood on the threshold of her hundredth year, with all the myriad hallowed memories of the generations that are gone commingling with high visions for the years that are to come, have infused into the veins of the Univer- sity a magic elixir which has given a tremendous imjU ' tus to the certain forward movement. Six Presidents have come and gone in the long span of Reserve ' s existence. The inaugurations of our early Presidents were little inclined to ceremony; after very simple rites they as.sumed the duties of their office. The University, being small, did not attract the notice or demand the prominent place that it does today. Charles Backus Storrs simply became President — his inauguration consisting of the assumption of the bur- den of guiding the destinies of the little college. Rev. George Edmond Pierce, Rev. Henry Lawrence Hitchcock, and Rev. Carrol Cutler were installed with very plain services. Rev. Hiram Collins Haydn ' s inauguration was the first one to attract attention, as he was inaugurated in the Old Stone Church. The University had attained such a size and reputation by this time that it was fitting that the new President should be inaugurated with proper and dignified ceremonies. Rev. Charles Franklin Thwing entered the office with an elaborate reception. It was a red letter day in the history of the University. A large academic procession began the ceremonies. In those days the place in line was not determined by the academic ranking of the Dr. Livingston Farrand, President of Cornell , and Dr. James D. IVilliamson. Thru . unsh!)ic and .Shade l!ie Proce. sion U ' ends Its Way . ' Icross the Campus. 21

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To this task I now pledge to you and to this city my undivided thought and effort, in the assurance that when the moment offers, trustees and faculties, alumni and students of Western Reserve will all be ready in their places for a larger future, a future too in every way in keeping with an honorable past, and equally responsible to the call of the new order. 20

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Fully Three riiiuisaiid I ' copic Witness Kcscrzr ' s Event of the Deeade. individual, the men niarchiii; lirst according to their rank, and the women following. The students were included in the procession. ' Ihe ceremonies for Ur. Robert Ernest ' inson began with the traditional academic procession. At nine o ' clock it liled slowly out of the Main Ihiilding of Adalbert and be- gan the march to the gym- nasium. President Emeritus ' i ' hwing and Marshall Simon leading. Next in line were Dr. Vinson and Mr. Samuel Mather, Dr. Livington Far- rand, President of Cornell University, and Dr. James D. Williamson. After them came the delegates and faculty in the order of their rank. The Campus walk was lined with .students and spectators, for never before had Western Reserve seen such a notable procession. Delegates from the majority of the institu- tions of higher learning were there. Many of the great universities of foreign countries were represented. Among them were the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh ; Univ. of Sidney, New S. Wales ; Univ. of St. Andrews, Scotland ; Univ. of Rhodes, Grahamstown, S. Africa ; Univ. of Luck- now, British India; Univ. of Allahabad, Arabia; Univ. of the Punjab, Lahore; Univ. of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; L niv. of West Australia; Univ. of Montreal, and many others. James McKeen Cattell, Editor of Science, and Prof. J. R. McLeod. one of the discoverers of insulin, were present. Everything was permeated with the spirit of the occasion. The sun shone clear but not bright. The breeze was just enough to cause a few leaves to flutter down and mingle with the procession as it passed. The autumnal hues of the foliage vied in a battle of color with the red, blue, green and purple of the caps and the brightly colored robes of the foreign delegates, and contrasted pleasingly with the black academic garbs of the American colleges. As the procession entered the gymnasium, the orchestra played the Triumphal ALarch by Naaman. The audience stood in silence, paying homage to education, the conquerer of all. The walls and ceiling were decked with American and foreign flags. The palms banking the speakers ' and orchestra platforms added the requisite touch of green. The gynmasitun was packed to the corners, fully three thousand people witnessing Reserve ' s event of the decade. Dr. Williamson, Acting President for the 1923-24 term, prayed for cooperation in the University and for God ' s blessing on all the universities of the Vorld. Then the audience sang Dr. Ashmun. Medical Ethics Professor Emeritus, Who Was Body Guard of Abraham Lincoln. 22 . I. the Old, Give the Best Blessing of Heart and of Mind and of . ' ioiil to the .VcTt ' Master.