Chancellor Putnam
"UB Day" October 17
UB Medical
Students &
the Exposition Hospital
UB Sports at the Exposition
|
U. OF B. DAY
Students of the University
of Buffalo celebrated at the Exposition
CHANCELLOR PUTNAM
He Presided at the ceremonies
in the temple of Music-An Affecting Scene
“Hi, Yi, Ki Yike,
“Hi, Yi, Ki Yike,
“U.B., U.B. for evermore.”
This was the cry
at the exposition today – the University of Buffalo Day at the Pan-American
Exposition.
U. of B. boys
were on the grounds early. Most of them reported to the college at
Main and High streets and secured a badge and ribbon before going to the
exposition. Many of them visited the stadium, where Fred Vokes was
getting the field in shape for the afternoon game between the U. of B.
team and Oberlin.
Crowds of U.
of B. men and women waited at the Elmwood gate for half an hour to join
the parade which was to start the day’s ceremonies. They waited
the coming of the student body which was to form the bulk of the procession.
The student body arrived at 10:15, with horns and ribbons. They came
up in a procession of Elmwood Avenue cars, which had been waiting for them
at the rendezvous. There were four or five hundred of them, from
all the university schools. Each wore a badge which marked the schools.
All lined up by classes behind the alumni. Ahead of the alumni were
the faculties, and before them, the 65th regimental band.
The band played
a signal for the line to form, and at 10:30 o’clock the line moved eastward
along the south road towards the Temple of Music. They turned at
the approach and crossed the esplanade to the main entrance of the temple.
On the steps at the doors were a lot of alumni and students who had arrived
by other gates, and together they passed into the building, where the exercises
of the day were to be held. They occupied seats by classes, and they
filled the main body of the hall to its capacity.
It was considerably after
the time appointed for the opening of the University of Buffalo Day exercises
when Hon. James O. Putnam, chancellor for the university, walked upon the
stage leaning upon the arm of President Milburn of the Exposition Company.
Adelbert Moot, dean of the law department walked with director-General
Buchanan, Dr. Roswell Park and the other members of the faculty occupied
the platform in the rear of which was stationed Inness’ band.
A lively shout
announced the arrival of the students. Grand Marshal Darlingtin,
preceded by a big U. of B. flag, marched up the main aisle, followed by
the senior medical class, of which he is a member. The senior students
and the other classes were in line in their proper order, and the special
seats speedily filled up.
Cheers
were given for Mr. Putnam and from time to time, as some class recognized
its special favorite on the stage among the faculty, the well-known yell
would announce that he was “all right” and the questioning “why” would
bring out the inevitable long drawn out “Because.”
Mr. Putnam
presided, and in his opening remarks called the attention of his hearers
to certain relations which exist between the Pan-American Exposition and
the university of Buffalo. They are both educational in their
nature.
“If it is true,”
said he, “that all arts and sciences are bound together, then there is
truly a relationship. The highest idea of any exposition is to enlarge
the boundaries of education and to this end the Pan-American exposition
has brought two hemispheres within its gates. It is now drawing to
a close. It has enjoyed the greatest success. It has introduced
Americans to each other, so forming a better relationship and feeling between
the different sections, which, fostered by such enterprises, will continue
to grow in amity and justice."
Mr. Putnam
in conclusion, introduced President Milburn, as a man identified with the
exposition, both in its joyous and its saddest days.
President Milburn
made a speech, both witty and eloquent.
“I assure you
that I consider it one of he greatest honors to stand on the same platform
with the chancellor of the University of Buffalo. It is not often
that I in my life, or you in yours, will listen to a man on such an occasion
as this, who is in his 84th year, and who for half a century has stood
for all that is best in Buffalo’s citizenship and greatest in its civic
life.”
Mr. Milburn spoke of the
close relationship between the university and the city of Buffalo, paid
a neat tribute to the college, and said that it had given him great pleasure
to accept the invitation to speak on such an occasion as this.
“I have welcomed
the citizens from every state in the Union,” he said, “and save, in turn,
heard the best citizens of every state in the union claim for their own
state credit for everything that has ever been accomplished by the United
States.” (laughter) “It is a pleasure, I repeat, to address such
an audience as this that, I know, will not make any such claim; an audience
that is looking ahead to intellectual as well as material achievements.”
“The exposition
is yours. All rules are suspended for today. It is enough that
you have a badge.”
After a selection
by Inness’ band, Director-General Buchanan was introduced by the chancellor
and made a pleasant speech.
Dr. Park announced,
when Mr. Buchanan had closed, that the United States hospital corps would
give a special drill for the university boys at the conclusion of the ceremonies.
Mr. Moot made
the principal address of the day, in which he condemned disloyalty to the
exposition.
As Mr. Moot
concluded, a perfect bedlam of noise broke forth, rival classes trying
to drown out each other’s yells. Inness’ band struck up “Nearer My
God to Thee.” The change was almost startling. An instant hush
spread over the assemblage. Here and there an awed voice took up
the refrain, one after another joining in until the song closed in a burst
of grand melody – 500 youthful voices raising the late president’s favorite
song in the building where he had been struck down. “Nearer My God
to Thee,” was followed by “The Star Spangled Banner.”
After the meeting,
many of the boys formed in line again and headed by Dr. Park, went to the
plot south of the government building to witness the special drill by the
United States hospital corps as a compliment to the University of Buffalo.
Buffalo Commercial
October 17, 1901
|
|
