THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SEVENTH COMMENCEMENT

From the diary of samuel pepsyn

1926. June 18: Up betimes and to the packing of my portmanteau, being resolved this day to make pilgrimage to Dartmouth for the Commencement there; and was in much doubt of mind whether to proceed by buzzwagon as usual, or by rail, but the morning being rainy did resolve to go by train which I fear I shall regret. However did find divers familiar faces in the coach and thus did beguile a journey otherwise tedious through much taking of the same ; and Mr. Tripp of the Class of '76 do point out to me, how Hanover mails do still arrive at the same hours as when he was a freshman in 1872, not varying at all despite the amazing material progress of the United States, which thought starteth us on trains of pleasant reminiscence inspired by thinking how we did once eagerly await the distribution of letters in anticipation of money from home, or messages from the Best Girl. Thus to White; River Junction and thence by omnibus to Hanover, which do delight me much because I reflect how the upriver train was always late and how the last four miles to Norwich were longer than all the miles from Concord to West Leb. Yet do I miss old Mr. Dudley and the durable horses of Mr. Hampton Howe, for all the cele.rity of this new system of transport, and feel that there hath passed away a glory from the earth.

At the Inn, discover that I am assigned to a room in North Massachusetts, where was in my day, I think, the back yard of one Susan Brown, whom God rest; and thus did fall to musing on Hanoverians of old time, now mainly resident in Heaven, whereat I resolve to wander alone on Monday forenoon in the; cemetery to renew acquaintance with these old friends. At North Mass. many of the Class of '9l, who were seniors when I was a freshman and therefore well known to me, but not held in the same awe as formerly; but Lord, to note how some have changed by their gray hairs, or baldness, or the rush of dignity to the waistline, which do in some sort reconcile me to what appeareth in my own shaving glass. And among others gathered there I find to my much pleasure T. W. D. W., more familiarly and affectionately known as Tute, who, being an honorary member of this class, do regularly reunite therewith, and who by his great vigor and unaltered visage do belie the allegation that he hath surpassed four-score years; and I did find myself thinking I would pitt him gladly against any other of this assemblage for swinging of the Indian clubbe.

Likewise find I quartered next door the Class of 'Ol, mother of college presidents, governors and jurists; and beyond them 'B6, once inspirer of a ribald song hopefully anticipating their ultimate descent to Avernus. There be some eleven classes having formal reunions at this time, the oldest being the class of '76, quartered with 'Bl in College Hall, and including also 1896 at South Fayerweather, 1911 at Wheeler, 1916 at Topliff and New Hampshire, 1906 in Hitchcock, and 1923 whose whereabouts I know not as yet, but they do seem to be everywhere. I note that this day is marked in the official program as sacred to the Arrival of Alumni —an event which, from the sound of this description, always soundeth to me as if it should be set to musick. But it is not.

At 4 o'clock to the meeting of the Alumni Council where much business, whereof we did talk most interminably until dinner; and at dinner comes to us milord Hopkins to speak most instructively of student problems and the methods adopted for ministering to such as suffer from untoward complexes of mind. And I do conclude from samples shown me that there is a dread among many lest they be "standardized," as their jargon hath it, into a uniform and common code, or habit of thought and action; so that there is much zeal for original thought, prized by some it might seem more for its originality than its validity—so much so that sometimes If eel that the more advanced would gladly, could they do so, sprout noses on the back of thejr heads to avoid the cardinal shame of being like unto others. But in later converse with Doc O'Connor we do decide that this will pass and that when the unconventionally of today becometh the conventionality of tomorrow, that which was at the ouset original will seem commonplace and thence a new revolt. After dinner more talk about the tables until midnight; and so to bed, whe,re I did sleep but little owing to the songs of adjacent celebrants, who, according to their own announcement, had been laboring arduously all day upon the railroad.

June 19: Awoke with a m'graine due to excess smoaking and am resolved this day I will abstain from tobaccoe, well knowing in advance that I shall not keep to my oath; and indeed did not, for that I could not resist a few puffs on my way to breakfast at the Inn. Sate with the Council at Wentworth Hall until noon when, our affairs being well in order, we did adjourn to the Friday immediately preceding the Harvard game in October. Did again meet many who gre,et me effusively as "Sam" and whom. I greet in return, although often I know them not from our father Adam—a fact which, God forgive me, I do attempt to conceal and hope that the deceit is not apparent.

This day the Graduates do observe their Class Day with the accustomed pomp, being favored by fine, cool weather such as I do not recall on such occasions for many years. And did my best to follow the young men on foot but with poor success, taking the wrong road for the Bema and landing at the Old Pine, whence I could hear only a confused murmur of voices below and occasional roars of laughter at the sallies of the orators. I did hear the president of the class, Douglas Everett of Concord, make; his address of welcome, and Clarence McDavitt's son, with a name exactly like his father's, deliver his speech to the College; both excellent well done, as was the Class Oration by Donald Mackay of Quincy, Mass. Yet did I miss, as I said before, the Class Poem by Richard .Lattimore and the prophetic utterances of the Sachem, one Bill Hughes, as well as the Class Ode by Richard Eberhardt, the hill being too steep to scramble down and the pressure of the multitude too gre,at. But by the applause it was all a great success. One Donald Steele made the traditional speech at the stump of the ancient Pine, where as of custom long pipes were smoked and afterward broken, whilst the college anthem was sung—the "Me,n of Dartmouth" one, now apparently fixed and sure of its position as the official song. And I thought as we were marching about how satisfactory a thing it is to have our own college band to furnish the musick on these occasions, they being as I think quite as competent as were 'the bore,d professional bandsmen we used to hire to play for us.

Thence to the home of President Hopkins, where a reception to seniors, alumni and other friends, happily eri&bled by fine weather to be held in the open air on the, lawn; and it is the last that will be there held because the new house of the president is expected to be ready for occupancy in the late summer—a fine, stately mansion worthy of its intended use as the foremost of all Hanover houses.

Did also see this day the, portrait of Dr. Hopkins which the Class of 'ol* whereof he is a member, are presenting to the College, having had it drawn in oils by the well-known Boston, limner, Charles Hopkinson, who hath caught admirably the likeness and thus added one, more picture to the notable gallery of this sort which the College is acquiring. The manner of this artist differeth in many ways - from that of other painters who. have hitherto made likenesses of our other presidents and notables; but it is a strong picture of a strong man, whose character is revealed thereby as we,ll as his mere physical attributes.

This evening the usual Revue or Musickal Play, which work in another place prevented me from enjoying; but some report to me it was the best ever and others nearly the be,st. None praised it with faint damns. And I find myself thinking we in my day could not have done this thing, being poor in numbers and I fear also in skill; nor could we have duplicated such publications as the Jack-o-Lantern, although at times I find my heart otherwise than cast down thereby. And so to bed, after listening in the cold to a most excellent concert by the College Band on the, campus.

June 20: (Lord's Day). This morning also very fine and cold, with reports of frost in the lowlands; but it pleases me more than do the sultriness of many past Commencements. To Rollins Chapel, where a baccalaureate discourse by Rev. Harris E. Kirk of Baltimore a Presbyterian divine so popular there that his parishioners restrain by force and arms the efforts of other and larger cities to summon him away. A good sermon withal, nobly conceived to inspire youth with the prope,r conception of life's meaning's and hopefully with the part which religion should play therein. But as I saw the long file of seniors in academic garb proceeding toward the church there was in my mind an uneasy feeling that many might be going churchward for the last time in many a long day, unless caught by some happily turned phrase in the preacher's discourse which should throw a flood of light on subjects either but half comprehended before, or dismissed as meriting little thought. Surely 'tis a mammoth task—this interpretation of the overmastering idea of God to carefree young men, blissfully far from the days when they shall say they have 110 pleasure in them.

They tell me that President Hopkins ably supplemented the baccalaureate sermon by an address of farewell to the seniors in his direct, manly, sensible style, which all of us know so well and appreciate so highly. Thus do the sowers scatter broadcast the good seed, hoping that most of it will fall upon good ground and bring forth (perhaps belatedly, but none the less surely) its fruit an hundredfold. But, God forgive me, I did miss this because I was lured into a motor journey by my friend A. K., who took me to many a sightly point in the near-by state of Vermont, whence we surveyed mankind from Moosilauke to Ascutney and revelled in the beauty with which the Creator has so richly dowered the neighborhood of our College. Thus also did I miss the afternoon playing of the band on the green ; but heard with delight an organ recital this evening, played on the great instrument given by the late Gen. Stre,eter—the artist being Professor Whitford of the Musick Department; and very fine it seemed to me, the selections being not too classical for mere amateurs of musick, like me and many another, yet far removed from the cheaply popular and above all calculated to bring out the infinite possibilities of the organ. So to bed.

June 21 : Up early and to my screening on this account, after my promised ramble through the burying ground near by; which latter do always delight me because there I not only find the remembrance of many an old friend, but likewise am impressed by the contiguity of the graves of both Protestant and Catholic, which seems to me to be as it should be. So also I did miss the; ball game in which, after many and various turns of good and evil fortune, Dartmouth won (6 to 5) from a combination of Amherst and Williams players. From them that saw it, I learn how a stalwart youth named Myles Lane did wallop a long hit to right field in the last half of the ninth, with two out and a man on second and third; this Lane being what they appear to call a pinch hitter, or one summoned in an emergency from his retirement to contribute of his superior prowess in this one special department of the game.

In the afternoon to the usual pre,-Commencement events, starting with the Alumni Association in Dartmouth Hall, presided over by Guy Richards of '96, ably steered in his downsitting and uprising by the indispensable 'Gene Clark, universal secretary, and the busiest man, as I believe, in Hanover. Perley Bugbee '9O revealed the usual modest annals of the Alumni general treasury arid reassured his hearers with an auditor's certificate. The presidency of the association for the next year was conferred on Ned Woodworth '97—in absentia. Divers committee appointments were made without dissent. Thence Ito the large tent on the Campus to do homage to the 50- year class, presented in an able and witty speech by the,ir president, Mr. Tripp '76. This, an innovation only so far as concerns the place of the reception, proved as always one of the most interesting features of the day.

Dean Lay'cock and Professor Rugg between them made smooth the me.eting of the Phi Beta Kappa, convened in the Old Chapel this afternoon, initiating newly elected members of this ancient scholastic society; and several of us, initiates of 30 years' standing, did learn the grip, for which God give us joy; for to our shame most of us did not even know there was a grip before, although mindful of the significance of the letters and most of the mystic symbols on the official key. Being thus arduously employed, I did perforce overlook a most delightful organ recital in Rollins Chapel at the same hour, given by Mr. Cobleigh; but did repair for tea and cakes to my fraternity house, and was shown much hospitality by stalwart young men who evidently looked on me as a grandfather—and quite rightly too— as I suppose was being done in every other fraternity house in Hanover, of which there are at present 26 or so. I his I remark among the outstanding differences from an older day.

I note as I go about the town that evidences of change are still multiplying apace. In the Stump Lane hard by the Hospital I take note of the foundations of "Dick Hall's House," soon to arise as a memorial to the son of Mr. and Mrs. E. IC. Hall; and there is down beside the Gymnasium far more than the beginning of the new Field House given by Mr. H. C. Davis of 'O6, . which they say will greatly augment the college's capacity for hospitality to visiting athletes in the, future. As for the new fraternity houses, their name is Legion and I am long unable to identify them all, but fortunately have no occasion. To the casual e,ar of one passing by they all sound very much alike.

This evening go many to hear the last concert of the Musical Clubs in Webster Hall and thence did all proceed to the Campus for a final recital by the College Band; and I do rejoice greatly at the novel way used in applauding the efforts of the latter, by sounding all the motor horns that be grouped about the; campus, which seemeth for all the world like the appreciative roaring of the carnivora when fed in Barnum, his menagerie, after the performances in the Main Arena. And so to bed, demanding extra blankets, the night being chill.

June 22: (Commencement day) Rose belatedly but contrived to get under the wire in se,ason for breakfast. Thence to the Campus to see the impressive sight of 338 seniors arranged in double file down one whole side of the common, being almost exactly four times as many as were gathered there when I graduated. And did note with the usual pleasure the assembled academic dignitaries gathered in gowns and parti-colored hoods on the steps of the Administration and Tuck buildings, prior to marching in state to the Webster auditorium for the conferring of degrees. This ceremony do much delight me though I find with the lapse of years that I now come uncomfortably near the front of the procession and have more and more young men trailing behind me as we go.

This year there be but thre,e commencement orators, one of whom warned business men to be idealists; one of whom found in Nietzsche much more than a half-demented Polish agitator; and one of whom cited the sad fate of a frater inurbe out of luck, as pointing the way to a more helpful Dartmouth loyalty. All spoke with proper diction, appropriate gesture and ready memories. The congregation sang the usual hymns—the paraphrase of the 136 th psalm and "Men of Dartmouth," with its references, so much criticized by caustick outsiders, to what they term "wind in the circulatory system and granite in the coco." But I wave aside such things as unworthy. As always the bestowal of honorary degrees do much please me and as e,ver I wonder how many of the 338 seniors on passing the platform do manage to get the right sheepskin the very first time. Most, I fancy—but it seems a miracle among so many.

Thence in procession, headed by our indefatigable band, to the Gymnasium where the unvarying provender, followed by the feast of reason and flow of soul, with announcement that 'B6 hath won the '94 cup this year for the best percentage of attendance; and later the detailing of various important gifts to the college during the year, though Prexy do not yet reveal who be the anonymous donor of that million for the new library nor yet tell us much about "Anonymous Fund No. 2," of three quarters of a million more, "subject to an annuity representing the income of said fund" and presumably meaning that when the giver dies the annuity will pass over to the College. And I note as Sir Frederick Whyte is speaking—he that was just made a Doctor of Laws—how easily a cultivated Englishman (or in this case a Scotchman) can give us cards and spade,s in the gentle art of after-dinner oratory and lose us in a walk—to mix metaphors more or less, and employ a vernacular wholly foreign to my general style of composition.

So ends the Commencement—the 157 th in the history of the College, closing what President Hopkins describes as "perhaps the best year, scholastically, in the history of the institution." God's blessing on the dear old place, and may the 200 th Commencement find it as flourishing, as ably manne,d, and as numerously attended as it is today! I came to it first nearly 40 years ago, when no sane man could possibly have predicted what it was destined to become. I leave it now impressed with the thought that this is only the beginning, and that our great danger is that of premature self-satisfaction. For Dartmouth, for all her amazing growth, is still poor in worthly goods. Our operating deficit must be wiped out e.very year—and this time a loyal alumni will contribute $llO,OOO to that end, among others. Endowment, sorely needed, comes but slowly and the needs remaining to be filled are prodigious. Nevertheless, nothing succeeds like success. I leave, Hanover this day, I trust, a better Dartmouth man than I came.

And so to bed.

Nate Parker, Marshal of the Senior Class, at the head of the line

1911 Assembles for the Parade Photograph by F. H. Hart is 11

The Class of 1871 at Mel Adams Cabin