University of Hawaii Honolulu - Ka Palapala Yearbook (Honolulu, HI)

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President Sinclair's Inaugural Address (An Excerpt) THIS ceremony symbolizes the spirit ol America. Though besieged by external dangers, we show by our presence here an appreciation of and a belief in education. We Americans have at all times acted on the thesis that education is an essential to our way of life. . . This ceremony, therefore, is in keeping with our American heritage Despite the war and its dangers and hardships, we meet to re-dedicate ourselves to democracy's greatest agency ol self-perpetuation: educa- tion. America is great not alone by virtue of its natural resources and its political ide- ology; in part at least, its greatness has rc suited from universal common schooling and accessible institutions of higher learning. Education has enabled our people to dis- cover natures laws, to work in harmony with them, to utilize them to our advantage We shall see a new world, in which what we have known will be as outmoded and as strange as the life in the gay nineties seems to us today China and India have the masses of people, the resources, the intellec- tual and spiritual vitality to become domi- nant in their own right. We can see the be binnings there of the coming Industrial Revo- lution. but the common people do not yet have the education necessary to a utilization of the harnessing of power This point of view will come with the introduction of edu- cational systems adequate to the needs of modern life By its situation in the Pacific, and by its cosmopolitan attitude and racial complexion. Hawaii will play a part in this movement of the centuries, East and West, Occident and Orient. This is true, whether v e will or no . . In its thirty-five years of history as col- lege and university, the University of Hawaii has, indeed, made a worth-while beginning as an institution of higher learning—and I would here like to pay tribute to my three predecessors who have laid the foundation upon which we shall build—but its greatness lies in the future, a future pregnant with po- tentialities in a Pacific-centered civilization. V e must, therefore, be ever alert to our pos- sibilities both in interpretation and in ad- vanced research in the sciences and the hu- manities. . . . A university, to be worthy of the name, has three major functions, it should pass on the social heritage; it should prepare its students professionally, it should concern itself with graduate work and research. The college graduate in Hawai. to be an effective Ameri- can citizen, must have had the joy of explor- ing the social, the physical, and the natural sciences, philosophy, literature, and the arts. By contact with the best that has been thought and uttered in the world, the student may not make more money in his eight or ten hours of daily labor, but he does live a richer, more intelligent life Good American citizenship is predicated on knowledge and understanding; the college graduate should not be in much danger of being swept away by isms, the nostrums for current sock.. evils, he should have the perspective of the ages to guide him. With research, scientific and cultural vistas open out before us, and the continued progress of the arts and sci- ences. is assured. The University of Ha waii, therefore, should serve these needs with increasing effectiveness. The presidency of a state university is a position of honor and trust. In accepting leadership of the University of Hawaii, I do so with humbleness and with sincere appro ciation of the confidence placed in me by the Board ol Regents. I regard my service as a challenge, not alone to myself, but also to my associates ... to the many students. . to our alumni . to our legislators ... to the entire community of Hawaii . Let us look back with pride over the relatively short history of this, our University. Let us deter- mine to make this institution in the present a fortress of strength in our country's time of need. Let us look forward to a future of ex panding usefulness to Hawaii nei, to the United States of America in which we so proudly share a place, and to the world at large in an era of peace and prosperity when man again shall be free 20

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September 10, 1942 THC WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON lear Mr. Sinclair: Let ae offer ay eincert fellcltatione aa you aaeuxe your dutlea aa Preaidect of the Unireraity of Havall. Thla la a dlatiaguiahed honor. It would be a challenge under any circuaatancee; at the preaeat t'iae, however, it la aore than an ordinary challenge. I hope that by your courageoua leader«hip, you nay deaonatrate what the function of a unlraraity la when «tending in the apotlight of the theatre of war. • Var la not a natter of aralea and narlea alone. War la aoaethlng In which everyone partiolpatee; every inatltutlon oontributea to It; a unlverelty above aoat other Inatltutlon give of lte reaooreea in etaff and facilitlea to train sen for the reaponalbllltlea which highly trained peraonnel «mat carry in winning the war. I aa «ure that the Unlveralty of Hawaii ie making, and will continue to aake an outatanding contribution to the war effort. I hope that you will find great aatlafactlon in preening forward with the unlverelty1a lndlepenaable work. Tery elncerely youra, ; M. Sinclair, Seq., Oliver a it? ef Wmmlt,

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Reviewing Past Administrations President Gilmore A KINDLY man who tolerated student oranks and understood student needs was John Washington Gilmore, first president of the University of Hawaii Being a practical teacher, he placed the emphasis on the need of getting down to fundamentals. Students called him a kindly and friendly counsellor. John Gilmore was thoroughly convinced that the security of democracy was based upon the education of youth. Out of a legislative measure passed on March 25, 1907, arose the land-grant College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, which later came to be known as the University of Hawaii The Second Morrill Act of 1890 provided the territorial legislature with an incentive for establishing a land grant col- lege because of its provision that a portion of the proceeds from the sale of public lands would go to the more complete endowment and support of colleges for the benefit of ag riculture and mechanic arts. It was under this act and succeeding acis of a like nature that the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Ar!s benefitted In the summer of 1908, John Washington Gilmore was appointed by the Board of Re- gents to be the president of the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Aits and also Pro fessor of Rural Economy and Agronomy. A small student body, a limited curriculum, and no student activities characterized the first year of the life of the college. About the year 1910, football, the never failing sport of a college, found its way into the spirit of the campus, leading to the formation of a football team. President Gilmore resigned in 1913. With his faith, vision, indomitable energy, and cense of humor, he had laid the founda- tions. I. v as during his administration that the faculty increased from twelve to tweniy, the student enrollment in regular courses s.eppod up from five to twenty-four, the Col- loro of Hawaii evolved out of the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, the college moved to green Manca Valley and occu p:cd Hav aii Hall. ( A farmer at heart, Professor Gilmore loved the soil, and knew the value of Hawaii as an agricultural country. He was a true agricul- luiis. and farmer. Since Professor Gilmore's first and real love in education and occupa tion was agriculture, the university made a filling gesture in honoring his memory when it named the agricultural building Gilmore Hall ai a special dedication ceremony on March 25, 1943.