Valparaiso University - Beacon / Record Yearbook (Valparaiso, IN)

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16 In cums 0m, imo est lem Dei 8 Mi, pea eius mm labascit

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15 it in the spiritual field. Her personality is strong in spite of the fact that she comes from Utah. Specializing in the languages and it struck by ideas it as she frequently is, it will be interesting to notice the resulting production and get a sample of what poetry should be. Mr. Sherrod, the orator- from the Land of Dixie, has had many troubles during the year, but in spite of it all is optimistic and has finished the legal course as well as our own, and has shown himself a natural born leader. Just one thing needed for him and that is gtto qualifyfl Mr. Southwick, the student from the Empire state, joined our class as well as the Yelocution, and has showed marked ability in all of his work in spite of the fact that he had many social duties to perform. Miss Smith has showed that she passed through several stages of develop- ment before she joined this class, and in spite of her artist has retained her good nature during the year. . Mr. Swanson, our chronic kicker, the last of the Swedes we have in our class, has held two oflices of trust and honor and has discharged each admir- ably in spite of the fact that he had to stoop down and join the herd in class scraps, until he received a physical lesson and put away childish things, and recalled himself to the exalted position, which a treasurer or editor of the Classic class should maintain; Mr. Sommer, our Viee-President, has conducted himself quite carefully during the year, and, seeing shadows of danger, he decided to stay away from the banquet held during the last term. His constancy, earnestness and ability has attracted the attention of not only the class but the school as well. Miss Summers has conducted herself so as to attract the constant atten- tion of the man who has shown marked ability in many lines of work, some of which are canvassing for Y. M. C. A. members, President of the Y. M. C. A., and Professor of German, Mr. Weller. They are both scholars and show fine judgment in their selection, probably because of the masterly way in Which Prof. Bennett presented it to them in his zoology classes. Mr. Whisenhunt, the Arkansas school master, came to school to stay, and here he is. He has finished practically all the general work in the univer- lsity and goes to Bloomington next year, after polishing himself so well that scarce a corner can be found. His reserved unobtrusive manners and his thoroughness in his work has attracted the attention of the class who chose him as third president. The last of the members of our organization whom we shall mention is our guiding star, Professor Carver, who has worked for us day and night, and it is to be hoped that his fatherly advice, his Virtue and his unceasing energy may continue to spur us onward for the ages to come. Now we have concluded the history of this class with the biography and labels of each member7 have recorded the important events and explained their cause and meaning, and will leave the effect for our worthy prophet, who will give us the results of his work.

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CLASS ORATION. IMPERIAL FEDERATION. C. C. SHERROD. EN have always loved freedom and abhorred oppression, nurtured liberty and abominated tyranny. Animated with such a spirit, the human race, through its course of evolution, must free itself from ignorance7 eradicate war and establish justice and tran- quility amongst its people. When we study the pages of history and trace the development of our people from their earliest forms, both as recorded and conjectured, and see- the rise and fall of states and nations, and observe the slow and upward trend of their on-marehing civilization, we must conclude that, somewhere in the distant future, lying out yonder as the goal to which the ever-restless soul has striven to approach as a limit, there is a conclusion as great and lasting as the Infinite Himself. We study the plot and classify the idealized characters of Hamlet and King Lear and others, and are stricken with wonder when we- try to conceive of a mind so magnificent. But this conclusion to which I refer, , to be reached only after ages of sacrifice, has a moral and an ideal incompar- able with the present attainments 0f the human mind. Hero-worship has been characteristic of every age, and a great factor in moulding the opinions and establishing the standard of morals of each particu- lar race. From the most ancient times men have honored those who stepped from the ranks and asserted themselves in such a way as to propound princi- ples, the following out of which would lead to happier and more comfortable homes, and at least give a colorable assurance of a greater and more beautiful soul. Such men were Confucius, and Socrates, and Plato, and Sir Isaac New- ton, and others. But formerly those who admired a great man and extolled his teachings were limited to his followers. Not until recently would the poet meet out justice to the man of medicine or the student of law; nor would the theologian even recognize the scientist. If we read the facts of history and their relations to each other in both our past and present, we can behold a great and inspiring destiny reserved for humanity. The tendency of historic evolution has ever been towards Imperial Federation; that is, towards a great federal union7 embracing all the states and nations of the world, organized under one central government, and mod- eled after that of the United States; this central power to be vested in a con- gress composed of men, elected by 'the people, representing respectively these iederal states and nations of the world. Disregarding the artificial govern-