Rush Medical College - Pulse Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

Page 216 text:

Prof. LYMAN said: Mr.Prt'sz'zie71t, Gfzztlmzcvz of fhe Trzzsfcrs, Fdfllflfjf and Sizzdeizfs of Rush Ilffdzknf Collage.- In the palmy days of ancient Greece, when Pericles and Phidias, and Hischylus and Sophocles, and Socrates and Plato were making Athens glorious with everything that renders a city great and magnificent, if some vaporing young blade in a fit of enthusiasm was extolling the present at the expense of the past, it was usual for the wise old men to wag their heads and to say, Yes, but there were great men before Agamemnon. So when you feel impressed with the present dignity of your alma mater, and grow warm with zeal as you behold Professor SENN, or Professor I-IA511L- TON, or Professor ETHERIDGE wading through seas of blood to glory and fame, remember that there were great men before Agamemnon. Wfe are especially favored on this occasion by the fact that we have with us two honored representatives of that former generation, and that you can for yourselves trace the accuracy of the likeness in their counterfeit presentments, the portraits now presented to the college. It is because these men have lived and labored, it is because they devoted their lives to the work of medical teaching, that Rush Medical College is to-day what she is-one of the greatest medical colleges in the United States of America. There were great men before Agamemnon. ' From this pleasing incident, moreover, I gather comfort for the future. Sometiuii 3 I say to myself, What will we do when President HOLMES goes the way of all flesh, and we have his faithful supervision no more? XVhat will become of the college when Dr. HX'DE and Dr. BEV.-IN and the rest of us have to lay down the scalpel and the stethoscope? But an instant of reflection reas- sures me, and I believe that as there were great men before Agamemnon, so there will be great men after him. Some one will be always found ready to lift up the banner of progress and to bear it triumphantly onward forever. Yes, there were great men before Agamemnon, and after him there will be great men still so long as time shall endure. Dr. l'IAMIL'l'ON said: We accept from the original himself, at your hands, this faithful representa- tion of an ideal teacher, an accomplished obstetrician, a scholar, a sagacious counselor and a patriotic citizen, Prof. DE LASKIE MILLER has been identihed with Rush Medical College almost from its beginning, and although still vigor- ous in mind and body, he has been actively associated with every movement which step by step has placed this college in the advance raink of American' educational institutions. His early career as a medical journalist, and his Presidency of the Section on Obstetrics of the International Medical Congress at NVashington, extended a knowledge of his worth and ability beyond the con- fines of his city to other lands: for at the close of that now historic Congress, he had acquired friends and admirers almost to the ends of the earth. I need scarcely speak in his presence, of his long and faithful service as a professor in 198

Page 215 text:

WEMWEWXWWQ WWWWWW resentation of llbrofs. Eelaskie Illbilleifs anb Dipbraim Hngals' llbortraits to Golf lege, in behalf of the Glass of '94 on class bag E. If. QCHSNER. O-DAY is a happy and memorial day for our class. Class day in most universities and colleges is the day of days during the com- mencement season, and we too are trying to make it interesting and enjoyable to all who may attend. To-day will be memorable prin- cipally because we are about to establish a precedent which we hope will often be followed in the future, which will undoubtedly give pleasure to many and add interest and enthusiasm to the class day exercises. In private as well as public life we are only too prone to cringe and crawl at the feet of those who are in power, even though they be entirely unworthy of -our homage, and often only too slow in paying tribute to the truly worthy until it is too late. VVe of the Class of 'Q4 have never bowed our heads or bent our knees to any one, no matter how influential, unless he was fully deserving of our highest regards, and yet as a class we are among the first to honor as best we -can some of those who are especially worthy of our admiration and esteem. Through the kindness of two of our professors it has been made possible for our class to present to the college portraits of two of the most noted and highly esteemed members of our Faculty. VVe have often regretted during our -course that we could not see these men more frequently, receive from their own lips more of their vast store of knowledge, and yet we are glad to know that it is possible for them to spend the afternoon and evening of their most useful lives in well deserved leisure and repose. It is our wish that these portraits may ever remain in these halls, that future students sitting on these benches may often look up at their kindly faces, .and by so doing be aroused to think nobly and act bravely. Nature is a won- derful artist, and each kind and good deed done has helped to mould the lines which express firmness of purpose, serenity of mind and nobility of heart. It is my great privilege to present to the Facility and Trustees of Rusl' Medical College, in behalf of the Class of 'Qt1, these beautiful portraits ot Professors DE Laskiii iWILLER and EPHRAINI Ixnats. Prof. HENRY M. Lvimx accepted the portrait of Prof. Ixfs,xLs on behalf of the Faculty, and Prof. -Ionx B. I-IAAIILTON accepted that of Prof, MILLER. T97

Page 217 text:

this collegeg hundreds of Alumni have heard his voice, and, thanks to the instruction those Alumni received, thousands of American citizens that other- wise might have blighted as mere experimental suggestions, were born to the glory of God and the increase of the population of the Republic. We need not enlarge on this topicg we need only say that in the presentation of this picture, the generous donor has added another jewel to the Rush Medical College col- lection. YfVe read in northern mythology of the XValhalla, that the building itself, whose dome was so high that its summit could scarcely be seen, was as marvelous as the heroes whose virtues it was built to commemorateg that its location was in the midst of the grove Mansurf' where all the trees bore leaves of gold. In time this will become ourXValhalla, although we lay no stress on architectural display as did those who designed that famous structure, In years to come, Alumni visiting Rush Memorial Hall ofthe future may truthfully say of this picture, as of the animated bust and storied urn of song: Bright Fancy, hovering o'er, Scatters from her pictured urn Thoughts that breathe and words that burn. v Y' I99