Cedarville University - Miracle / Cedrus Yearbook (Cedarville, OH)

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The Inauguration of the Rev. Wilbert Renwick McChesney, Ph. D., D. D. THAT the inauguration of a college president is no ordinary event wits felt by all who were privileged to be present at the exercises on Friday, Nov- ember 12, of last year. An unusual spirit of enthusiasm filled the town, the college students, the visitors of the day and all who had had any part in making the event the splendid success that it was. That spirit first made itself manifest in the ringing notes of the song which opened the morning session at the Opera House. At this session. Rev. John J. Wilson. ’03, presiding, introduced the speakers who, as representatives of the various organizations with which Dr. McChesney has been connected or with which he has come in contact, came to pay their tributes to the man who in various capaci- ties has so well met the needs of the college and community. For the citizens of Greene county, Mr. Oscar Bradfute brought congratulations to Dr. McChesney for the honor which had been given him, to the students for the privilege of having such a president, and to the county for the splendid citizen it has in him. Rev. J. S. E. McMichael represented the citizens of Cedarville in an optimistic address on the outlook for unusual future co-operation, between college and community. Prof. F. M. Reynolds reviewed the splendid results of the contact of Dr. McChesney with the teachers and pupils of the public schools of the county. J. Merle Rife'1(5, brought a tribute of love from the students of the college in his address. The congratulations and best wishes of the Alumni were carried by Dr. John Wilson Bickctt of New Concord, Ohio, and the greetings from the faculty were presented bv Prof. Jurkat. The trustees of the college were heard from thru Mr. Joseph A. Finney, ’06, of Xenia, Ohio; and General Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church sent its commendation and approval thru its representative, Dr. James j. Chesnut. Each one present felt that years worth while had passed in Cedarville College, but that the future held more in store than there was ever dreamt of when the first few students gathered under the leadership of the first professors and that the future successes would be due to a great extent to the hopes and prayers and work of the last twenty years of Dr. McChesney’s life and to the future service that was opening up before him. The chief address of the morning, “The Function of the Christian College,’’ which was most ably presented by President J. Knox Montgomery, 1). I)., of Mus- kingum college, added an inspiration to the spirit of the day in the picture of the first college of students which was organized under the leadership of the Great Teacher. The morning session filled as it was with tributes of appreciation, enthus- iastic cheers from the students, congratulatory applause from the audience, and a pervading spirit of good will and best wishes, set the tone for the whole day. 19