Vol. 16.
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, CHAPEL HILL, N. C, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 1908.
Nos. 29 and 30.
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION.
78 YOUTHS SEEKING
WORLDS TO CONQUER
1 1 3th COMMENCEMENT ONE THE BEST IN MANY YEARS
THE CLASS DAY EXERCISES
TUESDAY, FINAL GREAT DAY
THE PAST AND THE FUTURE
HOLD THE STAGE.
Many of the "Old Boys' on the Hill-Strong Speeches by
Judge Pritchard and Dr. Knapplmmense
Crowds in Attendance.
For the one hundred and thirteenth
time in the history of the University
of North Carolina a commencement
has been held. In some respects the
most successful of those in the memory
of the present generation it was. The
weather was perfect, the music good,
the speeches logical, and the women
and their dresses indescribable in their
beauty.
The ball was started merrily to roll
ing on the night of Friday, May 29, by
the annual reception in the beautiful
home of the Y. M. C. A. Though
many visitors had not arrived, there
were enough here to lend to the scene
a decided air of foreignality. Big Ran
kin, the genial secretary, circulated
hither and thither with a glad smile
of welcome upon his big face, making
his guests feel immediately at their
ease. Delicious refreshments in the
way of punch (No, it was not spiked),
and sandwiches were served. . The
reception was a success.
The next day, Saturday, belonged to
lip. Seniors and they made good use of
it. The exercises in the morning, the-
Seniors thought, were far and away
better than the average, and those
under Davie Poplar in the afternoon
were full of significance to the young
men who were soon to leave the Uni
versity and seek a few worlds to con
quer. At night the inter-society ban
quet was held in Commons Hall, pre
ceded by the reunion exercises in the
society halls.
Sunday the sermons were preached,
the baccalaureate sermon by the Rt.
Rev. Thomas F. Gailor, Episcopal
Bishop of Tennessee, in Memorial Hall,
and the sermon before the Y. M. C. A.
by Dr. Egbert W. Smith, of Louisville,
Ky. It was well that the morning ser
vices were held in Memorial-Hall, for
the crowd could not have been seated
in the Chapel, and at the night ser
vices the latter place was filled to over
flowing. Monday belonged to the "old boys",
of whom there was a goodly number
on the Hill. The classes of '58, '59,
'60, '61, '83, '98, and 3903 held reun
ions. The exercises Monday morning,
when those classes 'that graduated be
fore the war were holding forth, were
among the features of commencement.
Especially did Mr. Coffin, '59, of Ark
ansas, make a hit, and long will his
name be remembered by those to whom
he referred with comical contempt as
"you kids". At the conclusion of the
reunion exercises the Alumni Luncheon
was served in Commons and here
again the "old boys" carried off the
honors. The day was brought to a
close by the inter-society debate and
the faculty reception.
Tuesday was the great day, the day
when the embryo alumni broke their
shells, cast off their gowns, and stepped
forth from the sheltering wings of
their dear mother. The day was full
of incident, ' fraught with meaning,
long to be remembered. Dr. Knapp
demonstrated that the University had
made a wise choice, Stacy and Sim
mons held the great audience spell
bound, and Hon. Paul B. Means paid
a beautiful tribute to Dr. Battle. And
the diplomas were awarded.
Then the dances and the session of
1907-1908 passed into history.
Phi's Witt the Debate and Utnstead Gets the Prize.
In the inter-society debate held in
Gerrard Hall Monday, night the Phi's
came out victorious, and Mr. J. W.
Umstead, Jr., of Stem, won the Bing
ham Prize, as making the best speech
on the winning side. The debate was
fully up to the high standard of these
contests. The query was: "Resolved,
That all inter-state railways should
be incorporated by the Federal govern
ment." Mr. D. P. Stern presided, Mr.
W. W. Michaux acted as secretary,
and Mr. J. M. Costner as time keeper.
The Di debaters had the affirmative,
being Messrs. O. C. Cox and M. J.
Jones. Messrs. W. M. Gaddy and J.
W. Umstead, Jr., defended the nega
tive. Mr. Cox led off. He laid down
the principle of State government of
State affairs and national government
of national affairs as underlying Amer
ican institutions. Inter-State com
merce is a national matter. In the
evolution of commerce railroads have
become national. The present condi
tion is violative of the principle. .
Mr. Gaddy held that there have al
ways been two forces, the unit and
the collection of units, individual and
institution. The problem of the ages
has been to recognize both in govern
ment. We alone in our dual system
have succeeded. To change would be
demoralizing. The proposed system
would give the government control
over both national and local affairs.
Mr. Jones, applying the principle
enunciated by his colleague, said our
present railroad system is national in
character, but 46 States are each at
tempting to regulate it differently.
Discriminations result; uniformity
would secure effectiveness.
Mr. Umstead held national incorpor
ation unwise and unnecessary. It is
unwise because the two essential fea
tures of good railroad legislation are
diversity and elasticity. Both would
be impossible. Congress would have
power to regulate and to tax. It is
unnecessary because it lies outside the
sphere of the national government.
There should be the two phases unmixed.
DR MARTIN A. KNAPP DELIVERS
AN ADDRESS.
President Rand Does Himself
Proud in Discussing ''Edu
cation and Democracy."
The exercises of Class Day are al
ways full of significance to the aca
demic Seniors. On this day they
hold their final exercises as an inde
pendent undergraduate class. There
after in all the exercises they act
somewhat as guests of the University.
But on Class Day they are monarchs
of all they survey, they are lords of
the campus. And as they formed a
line at 9:30 to march to the chapel for
prayers, they felt properly dignified
and solemn. The prayer service, led
by Dr. Thos. Hume, who for - many
years has performed this holy office,
was simple and brief. Dr. Hume in a
few beautiful words prayed God to
extend his protecting care over these
young men who were leaving the
University to take their places in the
larger activities of life. ,
THE MORNING IvXEKCISES.
In answer to the summons of the
old college bell the Seniors again at
10:30 formed a line to march to Ger
rard Hall for the morning exercises.
Fifty-seven were they, the remnant
of more than thrice that number who
four years ago entered upon their col-
legciHife. Time had played havoc
with the ranks. Some had married,
some had taken their places in the
world of action, and, two had crossed
the barrier between the here and the
there. But those who remained,
those who had weathered the storm,
those who had withstood the tempta
tion of money and love, they are rep
resentative educated North Carolin
ians, they are men whoi will make
their influence felt throughout this
country of ours.
Led by Chief Marshal H. P. Masten
this band of brothers marched to Ger
rard Hall and took their places upon
the rostrum. They were clothed in
solemn conventional cap and gown,
but their faces were happy, these men
who had fought a good fight.
President Oscar R. Rand, of Smith
field, who was recently awarded the
Cecil Rhodes scholarship to Oxford
University from North Carolina and
who has been a leading spirit in his
class for years, was in charge of the
exercises. Education and democracy
was the basic theme treated in his
address. Since the height in the up
ward climb attained by a democratic
srovernment (which is that in which
society governs itself) is only that at
tained by the average citizen, Mr.
(Continued on page 3.)
It was close to 11 o'clock when the
judges, Mr. Paul Whitlock, Judge
Crawford Biggs and Dr. J. iu. Jirooks,
returned a decision in favor of the neg
ative and the Phi's. The debate was
very close.
A largely attended general reception
given by the President and the fac
ulty in the new library was a fitting
finale of alumni day. Refreshments
in the way of cream and cake were
served. Levin's orchestra was pres
ent and furnished music for the occasion.
Eighty-four Degrees Awarded
Walter P. Stacy Wins the
Mangum Medal.
Tuesday was an ideal day one of
those bright, sunny days so common
in Chapel Hill. The campus never ap
peared more beautiful, with the, black
garb of the Seniors contrasting with
the white dress of the sweethearts,
with fond mothers and proud fathers
beaming with happiness, with swain
and lassie from the rural districts hap
py in this rare opportunity to court,
and around all the green, green grass
and the gnarled old oaks, the watch
dogs of the campus since Davie and
his followers camped under the poplar
tree. It was a scene long to be remem
bered, and indelibly is it impressed
upon the memory tablet of many a per
son. It was only one of one hundred
and thirteen other days similar in
many respects, but different also in
many respects. And it was to the
men who were on the point of throw
ing aside their scholastic apparel, not
merely one commencement of many
commencements, but it was a day set
apart from all other days.
Not only does the day mean much
to the Seniors and their friends, but it
is also reunion day for the inhabitants
of Orange County. They come from all
parts of the county wagon loads of
them with many dogs and not a few
babies. Many of them do not venture
inside Memorial Hall. They are con
tent to watch the procession, hear the
band, drink much water, and court.
Owing to the late arrival of Mr.
Knapp it was nearly eleven o'clock
when the procession, headed by Levin's
band, of Raleigh, and composed of
Seniors and other graduates, faculty,
trustees, and alumni marched to the
Memorial Hall.
The exercises proper were opened by
prayer by Re7. St. Clair Hester, of
Brooklyn, N. Y., after which Presi
dent Venable announced the theses of
the graduates in the professional
schools, and introduced the commence
ment orators. Thomas Levy Simmons
spoke on "The Need of Popular Gov
ernment," and Walter Parker Stacy
spoke on "American Democracy and
Its Third Crisis." Patrick Murphy
Williams, one of the speakers, . was
sick and was unable to deliver his
speech on "The Function of Law in
the Life of the People." Messrs. Sim
mons and Stacy were both in good
form and held the close attention of
the vast audience. Mr. Stacy won the
Mangum Medal, as making the best
speech.
TKIBUTE TO DR. BATTLE.
At this point Col. Paul B. Means
was introduced and read a paper which
he had prepared in accord with resolu
tions adopted by the board of trustees
January 23rd, authorizing him to draw
resolutions expressive of the sentiments
of the board in relation to the resigna
tion on June 2nd, 1907, of Dr. Kemp
P. Battle as alumni professor of his
tory. The paper, which contains 4000
words or more, is not only a lasting
monument and high tribute to Dr.
(Continued on page 2.) . .