Union College - Garnet Yearbook (Schenectady, NY)

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Andrew V. V. Raymond, D.D., LL. D. President of Union College. t 'f HICN Providence creates a situation calling for a man of certain qualities and characteristics, Providence also usually provides the man to fill it. In the year 1894 Union College had need of a president who should be young yet experienced, enthausiastic yet wise, learned yet simple, re- ligious yet liberal, admired for his large intellect yet loved for his warm heart. Providence promptly provided Andrew Van Vranken Raymond. And since Providence is not usually credited with making mistakes it may be instructive briefly to review Doctor Raymond's career in order better to understand why he of all others was the man for the place. He was born August 8th, 1854, at Visscher's Ferry, Saratoga County, N. Y. He is therefore a little more than forty years of age: young enough to understand the temptations and sympathize with the ambitions of young men, old enough to counsel and control them. His father was Rev. Henry A. Raymond, and his mother was Catharine M. Miller. As a boy he enjoyed all the pleasures and experienced all the privations of a life in the family of a country pastor. But his training was robust and thorough. From the beginning his bent was towards the ministry. He prepared for college in the Troy High School, and in order that his preparation might be more thorough, a private tutor was also employed. He was thus enabled, in 1872, to enter the Sophomore class at Union -the Class of ,75. He at once took rank among the leaders as a stu- dent, and soon acquired a popularity among college men which has never left him. It is hard to believe, especially for those of us who were with him in college, that it is twenty years since he stood as a Senior 8

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EDITORI L. fv UR college is beginning a new era. The past year has seen many changes and the once visionary splendor of Old Union is beginning to be realized in fact. The new buildings donated this year by loyal and generous alumni speak for greater material prosperity, the new professor- ships and improved curriculum mean better work and greater opportuni- ties in the classroom, and on the athletic lield we seek the companion- ship of the best institutions. It was to be in harmony with this progress that the Editors of the Centennial issue of the CiARNI'1'1' began their work diligently, purposing to make their product worthy of the grand old institution they would so delight to honor. Whether or not we have succeeded, it is not ours to decide. The trials and tribulations of an inexperienced Board of liditors are best known to the editors themselves. Oh, what a book we would make il' we could have another opportunity! But with this one-we ask our readers to be compassionate. Where there are faults, don't notice them: where there is good-please advertise it. You may find some- thing that is old, and perhaps you will find something that is new. Our exchanges were not large enough to furnish many original ideas, so we lay no claim to originality, but consign our efforts to the mercy ofthe reader and beg him to he charitable. The liditors wish most cordially to thank the alumni who have so kindly furnished reminiscent sketches, the students who have aided us with their literary contributions and have so patiently furnished us with drawings, and-all those who are sufiiciently interested in our work to invest in a CtzN'r1sNN1,xt. Gixkxiw. 7

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on the Commencement stage. We are all young still, and he is the youngest among us, at least in vigor of intellect and buoyancy of spirits. These, indeed, were his characteristics in college. He was everyone's friend. He was familiarly known as Andy Raymond.- He was hearty and goodrnatured, and while he always took high rank in his classes no one ever thought of him as a mere grind He had not the academical appearance. His fondness for athletic sports put a dif- ferent stamp on him. He entered heartily into all legitimate college fun and college work. The time-honored Adelphic Society received a fresh impetus through his efforts and the efforts of a few others who were like-minded with him. The small but congenial company of men who had rather more than the average of literary taste and scholarly ambition and philosophical aspiration, numbered him among its fellows. The writer of this article remembers with pleasure a certain entertain- ment given by students, mostly of the Class of ,75, in Union I-Iall, on the evening of December 18th, 1874g in which entertainment the present president of Union College appeared as Cafcxby in a scene from .Rich- ard Ill. playing to il. G. Lansing's A'1'fh1n'zL J. W. Abbey's A,lr'h7l10llll', C. B. King's 0xf1n1', and S. D. ,lewell's Mzzfzlk. Later in the pro- grannne he also appeared as Dm'm.vc ljaafilllc in the roaring farce, entitled The l reedom of the Press. , The writer also recalls the occasion of the anniversary exercises of the Adelphic Society held in the college chapel on the evening of june 16th, 1874, when he was valedictorian and Raymond was respondent. The respondent's subject was Overshots fav. Unclershots, or a Trtte Aim. That some of these shots took effect was apparent from the nature of the criticism, which ranged from sharp and caustic to lauda- tory in the extreme. The young man was already beginning to strike out on original and independent lines. Another occasion on which both the writer and Mr. Raymond figured in a literary way was the celebration of the completion of the college chapel, held by the students on the evening of October z3rcl, 1874. Raymond was the orator on that occasion, and, as a daily paper put it, his address was full of wit and eloquence. One other incident comes back distinctly to memory, the class day exercises of the Class of '75, held in the college grove east of South Col- lege. Raymond delivered the address. He also wrote the Smoking Song, which appeared in full on the last page of the programme and was 9