Vanderbilt University - Commodore Yearbook (Nashville, TN)

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N W if ., . :'i?'-1 . of the University to the present time and in nearly all departments for these many years. Meri met for the first time since their graduation many decades backg and among them were the most distin- guished names in all Walks of modern life. These alumni are a living proof of Vanderbilt's contribu- tion to the making of America. After the luncheon in their honor, a procession was formed beginning with the class of '75, which moved down West End Avenue to the new Stadium Where Vanderbiltls football team lived up to its traditions of leadership in hard, clean, Winning sport. THE PERSONAGES It is an unquestioned fact that the greatness Of any event may be measured by the persons who take part therein. judged by this standard, the recent Semi-Centennial takes first rank among all the educational meetings ever held in the South and is hardly surpassed by any meeting ever held in the United States. Une hundred college presidents came to pay their tribute of respect to Chancellor Kirkland and to the institution over Which he has presided some thirty-three years. The executive heads of great educational boards Were here to join in this tribute and to help make the program completeg delegates from 300 schools and learned societies in different parts of the globe lent their presence to the colorful ceremonies of Friday, October 16, at the State Memo1'ial Building. About five hun- dred of the 15,000 Alumni came back to renew the olden days and among them were prominent dig- nitaries in church and state. It is an inspiring memory to look back over the record of those three days in mid-October and simply read the names of those present. Any one of a full dozen names would have lent dignity to the usual Semi-Centennial exercises. But to have a whole galaxy made up of stars of the first magnitude in the intellectual world was a matter of astonishment to all who attended the celebration. And just as Wonderful is the fact that every speaker met his engagement and every event took place exactly as scheduled many months before. Since the entire list of speakers can not be given here, it is Well to mention some of the distinguished persons who had a place on the program:

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THE PROGRAM A study of the program of speeches reveals a rare combination of theory and practiceg of progress and conservationg of the sciences and the humanities. EducationH was the general theme running through all the sessions and nearly every phase of the topic was handled by accepted masters in their respective fields. Higher Education in the South With the major part played by Vanderbilt in these past fifty yearsg the eternal conflict between the practical and the cultural view of education with some of the problems that arise in dealing with studentsg the new conception of medical trainingg the part that education plays in making democrary safe for the worldg the value of our universities in training leaders for world service and some of the outstanding problems that have arisen in the administration of large modern institutions of learningg and the part that the press must have in making known to all the world the secrets revealed by research and investigation in our seminars and laboratories. There was not a topic or a speaker which did not command the attention of all delegates, alumni and citizens who could attend this intellectual feast of good things. In addition to this program of discussion, there was a pageant given under the auspices of the Alumnae Association to illustrate education among the nations from the earliest times to the present day. There was the academic procession from the State Capitol to the State Memorial building, a living pageant of color and dignity, which was followed by the presentation of the three hundred delegates to the Chancellorg there was the dedication of the wonderful Medical Buildings in which the most eminent men of this profession took partg there was the dedication of the new Alumni Memorial Build- ing by distinguished Alumni, by Major-General Bullard and the French Ambassador, Emil Daeschnerg and on the final day, the dedication of the Neely Memorial Chapel with an overliowing audience to hear the universal message spoken by Dr. Cadman. Not the least on the program was the reunion of the Alumni which was scheduled for all three days but reached its culmination on Saturday morning. Every class was represented from the foundation

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g, E 5 '3 i , 5. President Henry S. Pritchett of the Carnegie Founda- tiong President George Vincent of the Rockefeller Foundationg Dr. Simon Flexner of the Rockefeller Instituteg Mr. Abraham Flexner of New Yorkg Presi- dent Angell of Yale Universityg Sir Robert Falconer of the University of Torontog Mr. Justice McReynolds of the United States Supreme Courtg Major-General Bullard of the United States Armyg Ambassador Emil Daeschner of Franceg Hon. John Tigert, United States Commissioner of Educationg Dean Clark of the University of Illinois 3 Professor Paul Shorey of Chicagog Dr. William Welch of Johns Hopkins Universityg Mr. Albert Shaw of the Review of Reviews and Mr. John H. Finley of the New York Timesg S. Parkes Cadman, eminent Divine of New Yorkg and members of the Vander- bilt Board of Trust, nearly all of whom attended the exercises and met during those days in important ses- sions to consider the best interests of Vanderbilt. THE RESULTS The most significant event in the intellectual life of the South is bound to have its good results. Van- derbilt University Was mentioned in Chancellor Jas. H. Kirk- land and Gov. Austin Peay leading the academic pro- cession clown the steps of the Tennessee state capitol. They are fol- lowed by Mr. Albert Shaw, editor of the Review of Reviews, and Mr. White- f 0 o r d Cole, president of the Board of Trust. news articles and editorials in all parts of the countryg congratulations came in fromfhundreds of admirers of our Chancellor and of the policies that have been in force during these fifty yearsg letters of praise came back from our visitors and speakers who declared it the best celebration of this kind they ever attendedg alumni and friends of Vanderbilt were strengthened in their lover and loyalty for the institutiong and the marvelous success of the program has greatly encouraged the Faculty, the Board. and Trust, and Chancellor Kirk- A view of the parade of brilliantly gowned faculty members and delegates march- ing down the capitol steps on their way to the Tennessee VVar Memorial, where special services were held.