Valedictory Address

“The Valedictory of the Class of ‘97” University Monthly XVI, 8 (May 1897): 197-202. (UA Case 68, Box 1)

Your Honor, Mr. President and Members of the Senate, Mr. Chancellor and Gentlemen of the Faculty, Fellow Students, Ladies and Gentlemen :—

One more year of college work is done. Once again the friends of the University of New Brunswick have met to celebrate her encaenial day. The members of another class - this time the class of 1897 - have received the reward of their labors from the hands of our honored Chancellor.

As the representative of that class on this occasion I must first speak our hearty welcome to all who have assembled here this afternoon to cheer us with their presence and to bid us “God Speed” on our entrance into that larger life which awaits us on the morrow.

The last day of a class within their college halls must ever be a day of sadness as well as pleasure. It is true that we may feel a pardonable pride in having added our names to the long list of graduates of old U.N.B., so many of whom have won honor for themselves and credit for their Alma Mater, but we sadly recollect that our days of glad companionship and happy friendship at the University of New Brunswick are at an end— “gone glimmering through the things that were.”

It seems to us but yesterday when nearly a score of eager and expectant young men and women ascended this hill for the first time and enrolled themselves on the University annals as the class of Eighteen Hundred and Ninety-Seven.

Time has dealt severely with our numbers since then. Of the eighteen who comprised the Freshman Class in ’93-’94, only four remain to receive their exeat in 1897. Others who entered from time to time increased the number of those who have owned allegiance to ’97 to twenty-three, and the number of those graduating to the modest but [weel-omened] number of seven.

We do not propose to detail the circumstances which have caused this large reduction in our ranks, but we must pause to record our sympathy with three of our number who were compelled to give up their studies with us on account of ill health. We have missed the cheer of their presence but our hearts have been gladdened with tidings of their recovery and we hope yet to see them honored graduates of the University of New Brunswick.

Except the large decrease in our numbers our class history has been very much the same as that of other classes in our University. The ill-advised presumption of the “novus homo” and the foolish wisdom of the sophomore were ours in the usual degree. At the beginning of the junior year we experienced the customary transition to the more grave and thoughtful side of college life. We discovered that education meant discipline, and that it required the chief part of our time and the very best of our effort. Our reading and our studies began to receive an ever increasing share of attention and especially were we interested in the welfare of the college societies.

In the last respect at least the class of ’97 feel that they have ever tried to do their duty to themselves and to their fellow students. We are glad for what we are able to do and are only sorry that we could not do more. We have every confidence that in the hands of ’98 the societies will continue to prosper. We will always be glad to hear of their success and can assure them than no pang of envy will be felt when we hear that they have succeeded in surpassing us in any or every particular.

We believe that a college is not a place for study merely, but for education in a broader sense - an education not for ornament but for use. The man who comes to college to do nothing but dig into books may succeed in gathering a large amount of information, just as a man who enters business solely to make money will generally succeed in getting rich, yet we feel that in the one case as in the other the motive is not the true one and that such a life is devoid of that power of influence which gives it its real title to existence and its real value in the world.

If such only were the benefits to be derived from a college education we could sympathize with those who doubt the value of a college education in this practical nineteenth century life. But this is not all of such college training, and the refutation of such a belief is the work of the college societies and the various recreative aspects of college life. Ask any man, who has taken an active interest in the student societies of his college, what of his whole course has done him most lasting benefit, and in the great majority of cases I venture to say he will give that credit to the contact of life with life and the consequent opportunities for true development afforded by the college societies.

The Young Men's Christian Association comes first in the list of our student organization. From being a few years ago one of the most precarious of our societies it is now perhaps the most active and efficiently organized of them all. The association has not only drawn our own students closer together but has given us a feeling of fellowship with the students of our sister colleges that many of us highly prize. Our association has been practically under the executive control of ’97 for two years and during that time has enjoyed a good measure of prosperity and the confidence and support of both students and faculty. Such an organization working as it does on the broadest religious basis is valuable in the highest degree to a State University such as ours.

Our debating society has hail one of the most successful years of its existence. The importance to a college of a well-conducted debating society can scarcely be over-estimated, it is to such a society that many of the most eminent public men of the day owe their power in speaking and in argument. We are sorry that some of the best students of the University have seemingly overlooked the importance of this society, even the enthusiasm of mock parliament being insufficient to secure their attendance on Saturday night. Such men are making the mistake of their life and the chances are that at some future time they may be willing to know a little less of the subjects of the curriculum if they could but clearly present their views in public when the occasion calls upon them to do so. Our special thanks are due to Prof. Davidson for his kind help and advice and the lively interest he has taken in the working of the society.

The University Monthly has issued from the press with more or less regularity as usual. The magazine is as useful in its way as any department of college work— to those who contribute articles to its columns rather than advice to its editors. Our best thanks are due to the many graduates who have come to our aid with a kind word, an interesting contribution or the ever welcome subscription.

Concerning the Athletic Association it is unnecessary for us to speak at length. Our football team was in the field as usual and although we were not able to claim a great number of victories, yet we felt amply repaid in the bracing effects due to the systematic training of the physical powers required for this manly and distinctively college game. This year has also seen the rise of hockey, which has supplied the long felt want of a good winter game.

Our annual field day while not particularly distinguished for record breaking as on some previous occasions was extremely interesting. The events were warmly contested and keenly enjoyed by a large number of spectators. Increased gymnasium facilities would be an inestimable boon to the association. An instructor is much needed if only for a portion of the year during the football season and preceding our annual field day.

The Glee Club under the energetic management of Prof. Stockley is a progressive organization and even those of us who do not particularly boast of our gift of song often feel that it is worth while to climb the hill once a week to take part in those inspiring choruses peculiar to college men.

Increased library privileges have been provided during the year. These improvements have been largely taken advantage of, as is well instanced, by the fact that nearly double the usual number of books were taken out for home reading during the year. Efforts are being made to equip the library with additional and more modern books. These efforts have been attended with a good degree of success. We hope that the final result will be to provide the University with a well filled library, fully equipped in all its departments.

Residency has been flourishing during the year at the old stand. While the prospects are not as encouraging as we would like to report, yet there does not seem to be that cause for discouragement that some friends of the scheme apparently feel. Residency, as most other things, will become more popular after it has received a favorable trial, and from the way in which the present residents speak we feel confident that the trial has been a success. The cost of residency to the already heavily encumbered funds of the University is an admittedly strong argument against it. The great need first of all is a new building. Let this be taken charge of by an association of all the resident students, who will appoint their own steward and assistant—perhaps from the students themselves paying them a small allowance for their services. The students can thus regulate their expenses to suit their own pleasure. Such associations, where tried, have worked well and all the conditions of successful working seem to be present with us.

But one change in the personnel of the faculty has occurred during our course. Dr. Bridges’ retirement from the chair of classics was universally regretted by the friends of the University and particularly by the students. Yet while we realize that the University has lost one of her tried teachers we know that she still retains the active support of one of her sincerest friends.

Dr. Bridges’, successor, Prof. Raymond, has discharged the duties of the chair during the year in an able and conscientious manner.

Through the liberality of Asa Dow, Esq., the University will be enabled to add another $1000 to the Scholarship fund. This further donation has but served to add to the words of praise with which his former munificence was received.

The will of the late H.G.C. Ketchem, C.E., provided for a silver medal for the department of Engineering. Such a donation, especially prized as the gift of one who was himself an eminent engineer will no doubt serve to increase the zeal of the students in that important department of the University.

We were glad a short time since to congratulate our energetic Professor of Philosophy on his taking his doctor’s degree in course at his Alma Mater, the University of Edinburgh.

The absence of Prof. Downing from the lecture room during the latter part of the term owing to serious illness was deeply regretted. We hope that the amiable professor may be speedily restored to health through the treatment he is undergoing at his home in Philadelphia.

A subject that has engaged the attention of my immediate predecessors, I will, with your kind permission, mention again. I refer to the subject of admission to the University. It cannot be denied that men are allowed to enter the University who are entirely unfit to do so, and that allowance will have to continue to be made for such students in the present state of our secondary education is equally certain. The trouble with us is not that the standard set for matriculation is not high enough, but that a student who has been conditioned in three or four subjects of the entrance examination is allowed to enter the Freshman class as a full-fledged undergraduate. Such a student attempts to rid himself of these conditions during the year in addition to his regular work. He fails in this, and not receiving the least credit for his year’s work, leaves college in disgust. Now it seems to us that we should either rigidly enforce our own entrance regulations, or adopt those of a great many other colleges where such a student would receive credit for any course successfully passed, so that practically any deficiencies in his preparation could be made up gradually throughout the entire four years. Now we do not say that this method is absolutely better than is ours when strictly carried out, but if at present we have neither the one system nor the other, and it must be admitted that their method is the one best calculated to induce that large attendance which a large portion of the public complacently accept as the sole test of a university’s efficiency. Of course a strict observance of the method at present in vogue with us will continue to appeal to those men who do not fear difficulties in a college course, but rather welcome them, but we ask again, is it expedient for the University to take this stand in the present circumstances?

In connection with this we would like to suggest a formal beginning of the college at the opening of the college year. At this opening, addresses could be made by members of the faculty, by the President of the Young Men's Christian Association, and by the Presidents of the other college societies. Such a meeting would tend to establish better mutual understanding all round besides having other advantages which will suggest themselves.

May we also put in a plea for more options in the subjects of the ordinary course. The only option at present allowed the ordinary student is that between Physics and Science in the Senior year. Outside of this he must address himself to the rigid lines of the course without being able to consult his own tastes and inclinations in the least. It would be quite difficult to point out a parallel case in any similar institution, and we feel that we are justified in asking that more opportunities for special reading and concentration of effort on subjects of the student’s own selection be allowed at least during the Senior year. If one half the whole number of subjects taught in this year—Classics counting two—were required, and an extended course in reading prescribed in each, would not the result be to make the course more popular and more advantageous to the student? To meet the argument against lowering the standard of graduation it might be advisable to restrict the privileges of the optional course to students who have given evidence of fitness for such a course during the work of the Junior year. Such an arrangement could in no way detract from the standard set for the University degree.

We hope, gentlemen, that these few suggestions will commend themselves to you for favorable consideration. They are not offered, we assure you, in any spirit of criticism or fault-finding, but from a sincere desire to forward the usefulness and prosperity of the noble institution that forms the crown of the educational system of New Brunswick—an institution for which the class of ’97 feels the very highest regard and esteem. We are proud of our Alma Mater and shall always be jealous of her truest welfare. As a slight indication of our interest, it is our purpose to contribute $35 during the present year towards providing a suitable foundation for the equatorial telescope in the observatory.

To you, gentlemen of the faculty, who have been “our guides, philosophers and friends” during the last four years we have only words of gratitude as we come to say farewell. We thank you for the pains you have taken to direct, for a short time, our footsteps in the pathway of knowledge. But we thank you above all for the personal interest you have taken in us, for the allowance you have always made for our faults and failures, for the readiness with which you have always listened to our requests and grievances; in every case we found you willing to aid us by your experience and advice. We shall always be glad to hear of your success in your University work, as we are assured that we shall have your good wishes in the work that may await us.

To you, our fellow students, we can add but little to what we have already said. Our relations with you have ever been of the most pleasant kind. We assure you that our thoughts will often wander back to the good old days at the U.N.B. with pleasant memories of the men we have met there and whose friendship we sincerely prize.

To the people of Fredericton we return our thanks for the many kindnesses shown us during our stay among you. Your beautiful city will always be remembered as a charmed spot in which we were privileged to spend four pleasant years of the spring time of youth.

And now the time has come to bid adieu to all the scenes of our pleasant life at the University of New Brunswick. To each of our friends the class of ’97 speaks a united farewell.

“Farewell—a word that must be, and hath
Been—
A sound that makes us linger ; yet—farewell.”