1928 Fredericton Encaenia
Alumni Oration
Delivered by: Foster, George E.
Content
"Reunion Dinner Marked High Tide of Enthusiasm" Daily Gleaner (17 May 1928): Extract. (UA Case 67a, Box 2)
Sir George E. Foster, the second speaker, was received withy a burst of cheers and "He’s a Jolly Good Fellow."
Sir George said he did not intend to speak at length. He had come for two purposes, the grossly material one of feeding the inner man, and the more spiritual one of gazing into the faces of those present and appreciate the fact that all were gathered to do honor to old Alma Mater.
He had faced many audiences in various parts of the world and could say that in verve, intellectual attainments and physical appearance that before him compared favorable with any of them. In moral and mental fibre the country had a people who were as good as any. A realization of ability was what was needed.
As far as the University was concerned, if he could have slept like Rip Van Winkle for the sixty years since his graduation and awakened this year he would not have been able to grasp the changes which have occurred. And looking over that period and the classes graduated in it, he felt he could say that Alma Mater had been amply repaid in the type of men turned out.
In recent year the efforts of the alumni had accomplished much. One of the finest things had been the recreation of the sentiment of the past two or three years. The strength of one hundred years had been gathered and made that of to-day. History should be guarded carefully by all. When he was an undergraduate he had no conception of the history of the college. It had been pleasing that the strength of the pioneers had been gathered to the present. If he were giving advice he would say, "Be good, be strong, be happy." What the present had was due to the efforts of the pioneers. The decision should be reached that generations to come were to have the best available educational facilities. HE was not a prophet but he was an incurable optimist. He believed that the progress in the next sixty years would be immeasurably greater than in the pasty sixty, and in that period it had been great. In conclusion he would say "God bless you," and he could assure all present that the words came from his heart.
Sir George E. Foster, the second speaker, was received withy a burst of cheers and "He’s a Jolly Good Fellow."
Sir George said he did not intend to speak at length. He had come for two purposes, the grossly material one of feeding the inner man, and the more spiritual one of gazing into the faces of those present and appreciate the fact that all were gathered to do honor to old Alma Mater.
He had faced many audiences in various parts of the world and could say that in verve, intellectual attainments and physical appearance that before him compared favorable with any of them. In moral and mental fibre the country had a people who were as good as any. A realization of ability was what was needed.
As far as the University was concerned, if he could have slept like Rip Van Winkle for the sixty years since his graduation and awakened this year he would not have been able to grasp the changes which have occurred. And looking over that period and the classes graduated in it, he felt he could say that Alma Mater had been amply repaid in the type of men turned out.
In recent year the efforts of the alumni had accomplished much. One of the finest things had been the recreation of the sentiment of the past two or three years. The strength of one hundred years had been gathered and made that of to-day. History should be guarded carefully by all. When he was an undergraduate he had no conception of the history of the college. It had been pleasing that the strength of the pioneers had been gathered to the present. If he were giving advice he would say, "Be good, be strong, be happy." What the present had was due to the efforts of the pioneers. The decision should be reached that generations to come were to have the best available educational facilities. HE was not a prophet but he was an incurable optimist. He believed that the progress in the next sixty years would be immeasurably greater than in the pasty sixty, and in that period it had been great. In conclusion he would say "God bless you," and he could assure all present that the words came from his heart.
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