Word: johns
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Dates: during 1910-1919
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...exercises in commemoration of the 309th anniversary of John Harvard's birth were concluded yesterday morning with the usual ceremonies before John Harvard's statue in Memorial Hall Delta and the address by Dr. Albert Parker Fitch '00, in Appleton Chapel. When the Memorial Society and other members of the University had assembled in the Delta, W. D. Canaday '17 and R. N. Cram '17 placed wreaths upon the founder's statue and J. W. D. Seymour '17 delivered the address. Turning toward the statue; he told of the debt we owe to John Harvard in the following words...
...Upon this anniversary we are gathered here to commemorate the birth of him, to whom more than to any other man we owe our life within this University. Three hundred and nine years ago John Harvard was born, the man whose gift was later to bring into being Harvard College. Today we do honor to him, and to this statue we turn in tender gratitude...
...John Harvard, we thank you! In our rush of daily tasks we oft lose sight of our indebtedness to you. Yet in our every work, done fairly and joyously for our college, we are in reality paying to you deep and loyal tribute. For with the eye of truth you saw--dimly perhaps and far away--a future college of breadth and strength and forward marching progress; and believing in that ideal you gave lavishly of your, worldly store to further it. Where others saw a possibility, you clearly saw a certainty, and your sacrifice has led to our presence...
...Your stamp, John Harvard, is a seal upon the faith of an army of your sons. It unites them, strengthens them, and gives them everlasting pride. We who have once borne your banners can never again escape your guidance. In seeking to be worthy of it shall we find our reward and growth...
Very few of us ever stop to think how much we owe to that courageous young minister, who, in 1638, left his library and half his estate to the struggling college at Newtowne. In gratitude the General Court changed the town's name to Cambridge, the university which John Harvard left in order to come to this country. Without his aid it would never have attained its early reputation--it might even have been abandoned. And, in partial recognition of our enormous debt to him, the least that we can do is to attend the exercises this morning...