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

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O God ()ui I U-Ip In Aijes Past . ' Hie nui ic tilled the i;yiiiii;i- siuni, spread to the outside and tlorited u[) thniuj h the crisp autumn air. 1, the old master, liy virtue of power given unto me, present and declare that Robert Ernest Vinson is President of Western Reserve University and of its affiliated schools; and 1, the old master, tjive the best blessini;- of heart and of mind and of soul to the new master . Thus did Prexy Thwing, three decades of fruitful endeavor for the University behind him, leave in his place another to hold on high the torch so bravely carried by him thru the long term of his presidency. Then came the new master to state his ideals and ambitions for Western Reserve and to enjoin cooperation looking to their fulfillment upon the multitude before him. After tracing the growth of higher education in America, he pointed out the most prominent criticisms, qualified them, presented his own expecta- tions, and appUed them to Reserve. In closing he expressed his appreciation of the honor which had been bestowed upon him and jjledged himself to the greater future of the University. As a fitting epilogue to the impressive rites of the morning, the new President conferred upon Mr. Samuel Mather, Cleveland ' s first citizen and Reserve ' s greatest benefactor , the degree of Doctor of Laws, saying, as he did so, Western Reserve desires to present you to the oncoming generation of her students as the type and example of that which she is endeavoring to produce. Then the orchestra played The Coronation March and the academic procession slowly filed out. Soon the gymnasium was empty. A worn but precious rectangle of silk fluttered on the speakers ' stand in the breeze that came thru the open doors. It was the flag with eighteen stars that draped the cornerstone laid at Hudson at the founding of the University, a century ago during the presidency of John Quincy Adams. Only a scrap of silk, but symbolic of how much that every Reserve man and woman holds dear! Dr. Cushiny, uf Harvard, and President Vinson. THE DEDICATION OF THE MEDICAL SCHOOL At 2:45 P. M. the academic procession again filed into the gymnasium. This service was in honor of an inanimate object, a tool, which was to be formally placed in the hands of the faculty. This tool, the new Medical Building, had been made possible by the generous donation of Mr. Samuel Mather. The exercises meant far more than a formal presentation of a building and equipment. It meant far more than a gift worth two and one-half million dollars. It meant the fulfillment of a dream more than ten years old. This was a presentation of the fruits of more than a decade of planning and working. Mr. Samuel Mather Reeeifes the Degree of Doctor of Laivs. 2Z

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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.

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Samuel Mather, Cleveland ' s First Ci!i::i ' ii and Resen ' c ' s (ircalesi Benefactor. Mr. Alallicr iirrscntcd the cimlrdl and nianaj HMiK-nt of this liuildiiii; to the faculty, but he also presented to the science iif Medicine and to the world a laboratory which can not be measured in ilollars and cents. In clu ini.; his speech Mr. Mather said, 1 realize, as 1 am sure that the faculty of the Medical School realize, fully, that it is not bricks and nicn-- tar, Mr. C ' h.iirnian. that, makes a successful medical school or contributes over much to the success of an institution oi learn- ' u g. It is the character and (|uality of the men who carry on the teachings and instruction in that building, whu turn out the well (|ualitied students from that building, who carry on and make ])ubltc researches that will bring forth new medical facts and knowledge for the benefit of the world . President Vinson, receiving the gift on behalf of the Uni- versity, said, I do accept this trust with gratitude to God and to you, liis servant ; and do dedicate these buildings to instruction and research in the science of Medicine. Dr. Harvey Gushing, of the Peter Brent Hospital of Boston, and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Universitv, then traced the history of the Western Reserve, the ideals which prompted it, and the energy which made it possible. He showed the connection of Western Reserve University with this movement and outlined the history of this institution. Gleveland in the beginning, he said, was not a very healthful place and the need of trained physicians soon became very apparent. Gradually through the untiring efforts of the few doctors in the comnninity a medical school was begun on a very small scale. From this small beginning the school has evolved and progressed until it now ranks as one of the three leading medical schools of the country. Dr. Gushing depicted the hardships through which the school passed be- fore it finallv reached its goal. He told in a personal way of the work of the founders and early professors. He recalled the traditions of the school and showed the profound influence that the clergy of Gleveland had in the development of medical training. Dr. Gushing asserted that the early death of Leonard Gase, Sr., was all that prevented the combination of Gase School with Western Reserve University and the Medical School, then a separate institution. In concluding his speech Dr. Gushing expressed his hope and belief that Reserve and Gase would combine to form one of the greatest universities of the country. The new Medical Building was then opened for inspection. It was the ideal materialized. It was a monument to the founders and early professors of the College, who lived and died that such a consummation as this might come about some day. How dift ' erent was this dedicatory ceremony from the first one held in fleveland back in 1882! At that time brief services were held in a Presbyterian church close by the cam])ns. Ex-President Rutherford B. Hayes made the dedicatory speech. The assemblage then adjourned to the campus, where a rough platform had been constructed. From this platform Amasa Stone presented Stone Hall, now the Main Building of Adelbert College, and the Dormitory, to the University. Stone Hall was rather crude and had been hastily constructed. Almost immediately two liay windows had to be built on the front to keep the wall from falling in. . few ears later the building was renovated by a Mr. Polk and made to look as it is today. The new medical buildings presented on this day will not reo|uire bay windows to keep the walls from falling in, nor will they require complete renovating in a few years. Western Reserve has proven itself woi ' thy of the money to build suitable structures to house the ramify- ing student bodies under her tutelage, and modern conveniences make the pursuit of an educa- tion in Cleveland today seem a very lei.surely procedure as contrasted with the wracking hard- ships of our alunnii of ;i century ago. 24