344 ELIZABETH GARY AGASSIZ 



They remember with me those early days when her 

 life seemed a precarious one, when her only wealth 

 consisted in the quality of her instruction (drawn 

 wholly from the Faculty of Harvard) and in the 

 enthusiasm of her students. Indeed, the real inspira- 

 tion of her life in those early years and of her subse- 

 quent growth has been the hope of becoming more 

 and more closely allied with the University; sharing 

 its intellectual outfit, its traditions, its associations. 

 That hope has been our guiding star, which we have 

 never lost from sight at any time. 



First through the sympathy and generosity of the 

 professors and teachers, then through the recognition 

 of the President and Fellows of Harvard (its governing 

 boards) , we have been brought to the very gates of the 

 University, until we have now our full share of that 

 organized body of college instruction which is the 

 pride of our State, which our young men are taught to 

 love and honor. In that affection and reverence our 

 students of Radcliffe have become their worthy rivals. 



In leaving Radcliffe (so far as that is possible, since 

 her future must always be dear to me), I am happy to 

 feel that our next step is one of the greatest impor- 

 tance and value for her, according, moreover, with the 

 policy which we have pursued from the beginning. 



In electing a member of the Faculty (and the second 

 officer of the University) as our President, we put 

 ourselves in immediate touch with the whole educa- 

 tional force of Harvard, and we gain a position of 

 absolute security and permanence under her protec- 

 tion. Therefore, the choice of Dean Briggs to be the 



