State collegian. (State College, Pa.) 1904-1911, December 01, 1904, Image 6

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    hundreds unable to gain admit
tance. Plans had already been pre
pared for an enlargement of the
Old Chapel, the estimated cost of
which would be $60,000.00, and Mr.
Schwab, after consulting with Mrs.
Schwab, as has been his happy cus
tom in years gone by, finding that
in their united judgment this en
largement was one of the most urg
ent immediate needs of the College,
assumed jointly with her, without
suggestion or request from any out
side source, the entire proposed
cost. Later in the day, they ex
pressed their preference for a new,
separate structure, at an estimated
cost of $100,000.00. The designs
finally adopted involved a cost of
$155,000.00, and that sum they have
contributed in the construction of
this noble and beautiful Auditori
um in which we are now assembled.
No words can exaggerate either the
gratitude of the whole College Com
munity for this magnificent gift, or
the immense influence it lias had in
elevating' the tone of College life.
It became at once the centre of all
the public activities of the College,
and is held as a precious and invio
lable trust.
“Owing to circumstances beyond
their control, neither Mr. nor Mrs.
Schwab was able to be present at
the dedication of the building, but
a personal representative brought
their greetings and good wishes,
and carried back in return the tes
timonials and messages of our
grateful hearts. Today we are
more fortunate. Both Mr. and
Mrs. Schwab are present with us,
and we are glad that both should
have this opportunity to see the fine
and noble use to which their splen
did gilt allies itself.
“A gentleman recently told me
that, a few years ago in the western
part of this State, a friend said to
him,‘You know a good many peo
ple around here, do you know Char
lie Schwab? No? Well, you had
better keep your eyes on him. He
is a man with a future. ’ Two years
ago, and again today, we have fixed
our eyes on Charlie Schwab, and I
have great pleasure and delight in
presenting him to speak to you.”
(Applause)
The students arose and gave the
“State Kally” for Mr. Schwab :
“Pennsylvania! Pennsylvania !
State ! State ! Slate 1 Schwab 1
Schwab! Schwab!” (Applause)
Mr. Schwab then spoke as follows:
ADDRESS OF CIIAS. M. SCHWAB
“Mr. President, Ladies and Gen-
tlemen:—
“When Mr. Carnegie invited me
to come up today with him, laccepl
ed his invitation without any inten
tion of speaking of this hall or even
of making any address upon this
occasion.
“I do want to say that it was a
great disappointment that ill health
prevented our being here last year
at the dedication ot this hall but
that the pleasure of hearing' from
your good President of its utility
and value has quite made up for the
disappointment at our inability to
be present.
“You have heard this morning
much of learning with reference to
the history of Pe nnsylv a n i a,
the possibilites of Pennsyl
vania literal lire etc., and I will uni
encroach upon your time to speak
of any of these things. I promised
Dr. Atherton not to take more than
PRESIDENT GEO. W. ATHERTON
I’ublisliixl by Courtesy of I’oimsylvanla Crll
five minutes today and T j list wish to
repeat a few words and to add a
few new thoughts to that of which
I spoke to you some two years ago.
“Pennsylvania is great by rea
son of her industrial achievements.
The boys of The Penn’a State Col
gele are the men of the future, upon
whom devolves Hie duty of main
taining' Pennsylvania supremacy.
(Applause) I want to say to you,
as one who has had * experience,
that it is a pleasant occupation.
To me. who have seen some of the
various sides of business life there
is no greater pleasure than the con
ceiving ofamachineor a projector
a process and the building or carry
ing out of the same. As our good
old friend. Capt. Jones, expresses
it, ‘No music so sweet in the world
as the whirr of the mechanical
wheels’. You will find greater
pleasure, my dear young- friends,
especially these engineering friends,
in this,than in the making of all the
money in the world, even though
your fortune's be as great as Mr.
Carnegie's. (Laughter) (applause).
1 am sure that there are none of you,
even if you do reap as rich and as
great a fortune, who will not be
just as generous with it after today
as he has been with his. (Laughter)
(applause).
“It is always with reluctance
that I speak of him, especially
when he is 'present. He has spoken
so often to me, (and 1 place -some
emphasis upon the to) (laughter)
but it has never been for any other
purpose than the good to be accom
plished. Now tliis reminds me of
a thought that Mr. Carnegie and I
discussed much yesterday.
“The brightest minds in the
world directed in one single chan
nel will never accomplish very
much but, when rubbed up against
a great many people, those bright
minds lake {lie besL thoughts Irom
all and the best results are thus
attained.
“I hope this hall will be the cen
tral meeting place ot this great
stuileiiL body, where an interchange
of ideas will result in the ultimate
development of all. Even the
geniuses will be improved by the
contact of their less favored
brethren. (Laughter—applause)
“There is one more idea that I
wish von students would never for
get. Not having had the advantage
of such an education as you are
having' here, I realize its import
ance and that is, that the man who
is a graduate of a great institution
ol this soi t is in no higher plane
socially than the boy who has re
ceived Ins education in the prac
tical university of the world, the
workshop. (Applause.) You have
the advantage of the boy who has
been in the university ot the work
shop but, if )ou will realize that
your social status is the same and
will use the same application, the
same assiduity, you are bound to
eclipse him and bound to succeed.
“Now’ I have taken my live min
utes. I thank you very much for
your kindly reception and before
closing, I wanL to thank you, the
students, for Mrs. Schwab for the
kindly testimonial which you so
generously presented her, through
her representatives, last year, and
above all, for the kindly sentimen
tal way in which it was done. We
thank you all." (Great applause.)
Directly after the conclusion of
Mr. Schwab's remarks, an adjourn
ment was taken, and upwards >i