than words. Its subtle influence pervades civilization, and its privileges are enjoyed day after day, without a thought given to whence it comes or whither it goes." The labor of years develops a necessity which becomes part of our daily lives. Who, for instance, realizes the study, labor and research, that has brought our railways into existence, and has been perfecting them ever since?

England thought Stevenson worthy of a tomb in Westminister Abbey, and she has knighted her prominent men of science, recognizing them as benefactors to the race. Some such recognition we must strive for in this country, in our own American way. While we do not bestow orders on the men that rise above the mass of their fellows, we have been conferring honorary degrees upon men of letters, the law, and clergy. Why not upon men of science? Our colleges have been so profuse in hastening to recognize this expression of pre-eminence in a scholastic direction, that the number of complimentary degrees given out at every annual commencement, is legion. They have cheapened their honors, until the whole intent and purpose has been virtually lost. Honorary degrees of this character cease to be a compliment, and I only refer to them in this place to emphasize the idea previously expressed, regarding work yet to be done, and indicating one method for science to assist itself. While men's estimate of themselves or their calling, does not always. accord with the judgment of their fellows, it is as certainly true, that unless they assist themselves, others will not do it for them. Scientific schools, in this country at least, do not give special or complimentary degrees, and it well becomes the Rensselaer Institute, the oldest and best known institution of its class, to initiate the system. If the honor was used sparingly and critically, it would be a coveted prize for the deserving, and a mark of accomplishment that would still further elevate the profession of the scientific man in the estimation of society. It is high time for science to assert itself in every legitimate direction, and demand a seat on the Olympian Height, so long occupied by law, medicine, and theology. I would further present for your

consideration, the matter of incorporating the Alumni element in the governance of this institution. This seems to me worthy of discussion, for many reasons, and has been found of value in such colleges as have adopted the principle. No one knows, better than the graduate of practical experience, the shortcomings of our Alma Mater, and it is eminently proper that he should be consulted in matters of systems and policy. In an age of such wondrous activity as the one we are passing through, to stand still is to be left behind, and to be left behind is a lingering death. Competition is a tireless rider, forever spurring on all who enter for the race. Striving for perfection, unattainable though it be, is characteristic of the age, whether toward things good or towards things bad. Radicalism and conservatism are the two great conflicting social forces, each one tempering the other, yielding a resultant of real progress. Separate them and we have communism on the one hand, and medievalism on the other. The Rensselaer Institute stands alone, as a purely scientific school, no longer. The demands of the new education" have created, I must say, almost beyond present requirements, technical and scientific schools in almost every important State in the Union, either on their own basis, or as adjuncts to established institutions of learning. These schools are for the most part well endowed, and present inducements that this Institute cannot hold out. Thus far, despite all these aspirants for popular favor, the R. P. I. has held its ground, if the number of students may be taken as an index of prosperity. Even with its limited facilities, and higher tuition fees than any other similar school, there are more names now upon its register than ever before. This is easily accounted for from the fact that its age has given it a reputation through its graduates, not yet reached by its young and vigorous competitors, and its reputation is further advanced by a knowledge of the rigidity of its graduating requirements. This disparity must lessen. year by year, until the newer schools occupy the same vantage ground, having in addition thereto, the attractions growing out of material prosperity. The position of the

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is to-day largely due to the comprehensive mind of B. Franklin Greene, former Director, as I think will be generally admitted. His report, made in 1850, to the Board of Trustees, and adopted by them at that time, as the basis of the Institute system, showed an appreciation of the subject far in advance of the time. The Institute then, as it does now, needed a large endowment, and the prospects then were about as good as they are now-possibly better. The interval of twenty years has done nothing for us, and we must make up for a slender purse, as was done by Director Greene, by still furthering its educational usefulness. The Alumni comparatively have nothing to give; they are too few in number, and as a rule their riches are not in excess of what usually falls to the lot of scientific men. But if they can not give of worldly possessions, they can counsel through ripened experience and sympathy. The professors are more or less "book men," and hard-working and painstaking though they be, they cannot always estimate truly the value of their systems, as to the effect upon the after life of the student. It was' evidently some such feeling that prompted the Board of Trustees to appoint a peculiarly able committee in the Spring of 1870, to investigate the educational system of the Institute. That committee made a careful investigation and report, so complete and encyclopædic in its information, as to claim for it a high position in the literature of technical education. It was expected at the time by many of the Alumni that steps would be taken to adopt its recommendations, in part at least, and that the time had come when the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute would make another stride forward. So far as I can learn, and from causes that do not appear, this document has exerted no influence as yet upon the Institute system. Giving full credit to the dead weight of impecuniosity, the bête noir that springs up at every turn, the Institute can do more than she is now doing, at least so it appears to many of its graduates. Far be it from me to cast reflection on any one of its faculty, for a harder-working or more painstaking

Year by year

body of men it would be difficult to find. they have raised the standard of scholarship, and their courses have been filled out and extended. There is no human institution under the sun that does not run in a groove unless carefully watched, and the pruning knife is essential to a healthy advance. The work of the Institute being to prepare young men for certain professional duties, it certainly seems reasonable that those young men in after years should have a voice as to the kind of preparation those coming after should receive. While this Association of Graduates has no competence to pass any measures affecting the character of the Institute system, or the mode of its government, it certainly has the right of petition, and could exercise that right in no better way than requesting an alumni representation among the Board of Trustees.

66

Another matter occurs to me as one in which the influence of the Alumni Association can be wholesomely exerted, and that is, in discountenancing the tendency of the undergraduates to affect the class names of distinctive collegiate institutions. It must sound strange to an old graduate, on visiting the scenes of his youth, to hear Division A spoken of as the "Senior Class," or Division D as Freshman." The divisional names were given originally to make a marked distinction that the present race of students do not appear to understand. The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute pretends to no parallel with the American colleges, but theoretically stands on a higher plane, to enjoy the full benefits of which a preparatory college course is necessary, and it is falsifying its true position before the public, in attaching to it the college nomenclature. Inasmuch as the Institute is a special school, to train its students for special work in life, its educational position is alongside of other professional schools, such as Law, or Medicine. General literature, or miscellaneous cultivation, forms no part of the system of special schools, while it is the whole aim of the college course, and it would be much better for the special schools, if it were possible, to insist upon a previous college training. High aims alone produce high results, and it

is certainly to be hoped that the present and future students of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will look upon it as an embryo professional duty to keep the line distinctly marked between general and special education.

I must apologize for thus trespassing upon your time, and deem it proper to offer as my excuse a desire to see the alumni of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute perform, if possible, some effective work for their alma mater, and interest themselves in seeing the Institute keep the proud position that it has so long held. I have indicated certain directions for effort, that seem to me eminently practical, and now yield them to the winnowing process of many minds, trusting that the seed will be found worthy of the sowing.

The minutes of the last meeting of the Association of Graduates, (1873,) were then read by the Secretary, Prof. H. B. Nason, and approved.

The chairman of the committee on subscriptions to, and for procuring a monument to Prof. Eaton, reported that the money had nearly all been obtained, and that a monument had been placed in the Oakwood Cemetery, costing $525; also a memorial window of stained glass had been placed in the Institute Hall, costing $365.

The small deficiency ($85,) in funds for these memorials, was immediately made up by the Alumni present.

Prof. Nason, on behalf of the committee for the SemiCentennial Celebration, reported the programme as already given in the second circular. (See page 7.)

The following were appointed a committee to nominate officers for the ensuing three years: James P. Wallace, class of '37; D. M. Greene, class of '51; A. J. Swift, class of '72; W. H. Morton, class of '56; Prof. Dascom Greene, class of '53.

Remarks were then made by Dr. G. F. Horton, late Pres