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THE PLASTIC AGE
31

hood falling over his shoulders, entered followed by his faculty, also gowned and hooded. The students rose and remained standing until the presi¬ dent and faculty were seated. The organ sounded a final chord, and then the college chaplain rose and prayed—very badly. He implored the Lord to look kindly “on these young men who have come from near and far to drink from this great fount of learning, this well of wisdom.”

The prayer over, the president addressed the students. He was a large, erect man with irongray hair and a rugged intelligent face. Although he was sixty years old, his body was vigorous and free from extra weight. He spoke slowly and im¬ pressively, choosing his words with care and enun¬ ciating them with great distinctness. His address was for the freshmen: he welcomed them to San¬ ford College, to its splendid traditions, its high ideals, its noble history. He spoke of the famous men it numbered among its sons, of the work they had done for America and the world, of the work he hoped future Sanford men, they, the freshmen, would some day do for America and the world. He mentioned briefly the boys from Sanford who had died in the World War “to make the world safe for democracy,” and he prayed that their sac¬ rifice had not been in vain. Finally, he spoke of the chapel service, which the students were required to attend. He hoped that they would find inspira-