NOTABLE DINNER LAST NIGHT

The Harvard Memorial Dinner, held last night in Memorial Hall under the auspices of the Memorial Society, was a brilliant success, both in the large number of graduates and undergraduates present and in the long list of distinguished speakers.

The entrance to the hall was led at 7 o'clock by Mr. W. C. Lane, president of the Harvard Memorial Society, and President Eliot, who presided during the evening. Besides the delegates from the Harvard Clubs, who were seated at the speakers' table, there were present a large number of unofficial representatives of Harvard Clubs, and the number of undergraduates raised the total number present to about 500. The seats and tables were arranged as usual in the hall, except that the speakers' table occupied a raised platform along the eastern wall between the doors.

The speaking commenced at 9 o'clock, when President Eliot rose to announce the first speaker. In his preliminary address President Eliot spoke in part as follows: "This dinner was planned and carried into execution by the Harvard Memorial Society, an organization which endeavors to commemorate in fitting fashion all the occasions worthy of notice in connection with this University. A Memorial Society! What a prodigious memorial John Harvard has in this University, which men have raised here on his foundation. The young scholar, seven years at Cambridge University, coming to America as a young, untried minister, dying within a few months of his arrival--he little thought of what a fine monument he was building for himself. And best of all it is a living, growing monument, which will be greater 300 years from today than it is now. John Harvard is commemorated also in the lives of every man who has been educated in this institution which he founded, who are doing his work in all parts of the world.

"And how big is this living monument today? By the most recent computations it is about 13,000 in number, all men who have here come under the inspiration of Harvard University, and received its degrees. The number recognized by the Harvard Athletic Association and the Alumni Association is greater and includes all men who have ever been at Harvard. Of these there are 18,000, banded together as a great, living Harvard force in the Alumni Association."

President Eliot introduced as the first speaker Mr. A. G. Fox '69, president of the Harvard Alumni Association, who said: "It is a pleasing distinction which I enjoy tonight of representing here the Association of Harvard Alumni. Down in the harbor of New York there is a statue of 'Liberty enlightening the world,' a famous statue in the history of this country. But it was down Harvard, who through this University enlightened Liberty herself. In the Revolutionary War Harvard College was characterized as a 'hotbed of sedition.' and ever since that time it has been a leader in the life of this country.

"I am proud of the growing representation which we of New York city have at Harvard. When I came here with the class of 1869 there were eleven New Yorkers in the University; now we have in the Harvard Club of New York about 1500 Harvard graduates."

The other speakers on the list, in order of their addresses, were M. C. Sloss '90, of the Supreme Court of California; Dr. H. W. Wiley '73, chief of the Bureau of Chemistry in the United States Department of Agriculture; Professor A. E. Kennelly, Bishop William Lawrence '71, Dr. George A. Gordon, D.D., '81; Sir Courtenay Ilbert of Baliol College, Oxford, present clerk of the British House of Commons; R. L. O'Brien '71, and Dean LeB. R. Briggs '75.

Dean Briggs, the last speaker of the evening, recited an original poem composed for the occasion. The following is a copy of the poem!

"TO JOHN HARVARD.

"Yes, thou art known; we feel, we see the near us.

Though Art be blind, though History be dumb.

Down through the centuries thou com'st to cheer us.

Even as of old the saints of God have come.

"The New World's faith and hope.

The Old World's learning.

The Puritan's austerity of grace,

The eager spirit in immortal yearning,

The pallid sweetness of the earnest face,

The weary, steadfast eyes that lighted fearless,

The grave, high brow with radiance sublime;

The strong, young soul that walked erect and peerless.

To conquer Death and chase the mists of Time.

"Seer of visions, breaking through the ages,

Dreamer of dreams that wake the living soul.

Preacher of love, whose bounties are they pages.

Prophet of God, whose nation is thy scroll--

Thou who mad'st glad the solitary places,

Thou who hast set the generations free.

Look on thy struggling children's faces,

Teach us to love, to triumph, and to see."

With the singing of "Fair Harvard," led by W. A. Locke '69, as chorister, the dinner was ended