cess of foot-hall, then let our men play, not for in
dividual honors, but for the honor of their col
lege.
T lisI is to be hoped that the college authorities
will soon awake to the fact that .a walk is
badly needed from the main building down
to the eastern entrance of the campus. For many
years back such a walk would have been useful,
but during the last two or three it has become a
crying necessity. Fully one third of the students
would use such a walk daily and its absence is a
great inconvenience to them. This state of affairs
is not felt so keenly during the pleasant days and
beautiful weather which we have been having,
but in the winter which is to come, and on rainy
and disagreeable days which we are sure to have,
there is no doubt but that the want of it will be
badly felt.
12=1=
COMMENCEMENT 4DDRESS.
Dr, WILLIAM PEPPER, JUNE 13, 1894
Mr. PRESIDENT, Your Excellencies (*for lassume
that on coming to Centre county I shall find at
least two Governors in sight continually), my
Brothers of the Faculty of State College, Ladies
and Gentlemen fear I am here under false pre
tenses. I cannot say truly that I came to make a
Commencement address. I came this long jour
ney, in the midst of the hardest week "have ever
had in my life, not because I had anything to say
that could add interest to the occasion ; but mere
ly, Mr. President, that by my act of coming and
by my presence here to-day I might testify with a
full heart to the lofty cause to which this Institu
tion is dedicated ; and to the growing and, deep
ening affection which is spreading over this great
Commonwealth for her College here in Centre
county.
As I look around this crowded hall and catch
*ExHovernor Beaver, and tile Republican nominee for
the office of Governor, General Hastings, wore on the
platform.
THE FREE LANCE.
the inspiration of the enthusiasm which fills tl is
audience, I am reminded of one of the strongest
impressions I ever received, and one of which I
shall ever retain a distinct and happy recollection.
A few years ago I was invited by my friend Presi
dent Angell, of the University of Michigan, to be
the guest of that institution at its semi-centennial
anniversary. I found an audkorium capable of
seating four thogsand people crowded just as this
fine hall is crowded to day, and with an audience
filled and thrilled by the same intense sympathy that
lam here conscious of. To look at that audience
was to feel yourself taken hold of, and taken out
of yourself. You knew instinctively that you
were one of a great throng all interested with
equal intensity, not merely in the particular ac
tors in that day's Commencement and Memorial
exercises, but in the mighty cause of higher edu
cation there typified and embodied. There was.
a University of the people, started -by the people
of that young State of Michigan, located in a town
which seemed to owe its existence to the Univer
sity with twenty-eight hundred students represent
ing every state of this Union and many foreign
countries ; with a broad domain, many fine build
ings, extensive libraries and well-equipped labora
tories. This University had been started by the
people of Michigan, only fifty years before and yet
the grade of instruction in every branch would bear
comparison with that of Harvard, of Yale and of
Pennsylvania. Since that time there has been
introduced into the constitution of that state a
clause which provides for an annual tax rate to
support this University upon a permanent and
steadily increasing basis, as the property of that
State increases. These matters are familiar to all
whom lam addressing. This is what has been
done by one of our newer, and less populous and
less wealthy States for the cause of higher educa
tion. The lesson that it conveys to us seems to
me most impressive. lam thankful that I have
lived to a time when the people of our State are
awakened to the importance of this matter of high
er education. I was fortunate enough to fall in