338 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XV. No. 374. 



The Johns Hopldns University cannot 

 live on its past, however praiseworthy that 

 past may have been. If the contemplation 

 of the past has the effect of stimulating ns 

 to our best efforts, it is a profitable occupa- 

 tion. If it lulls us into inactivity, it is 

 fatal. We should not, nor can we, escape 

 criticism for present misdeeds by referring 

 to a glorious past. We have, to be sure, 

 inherited certain ideals that we should 

 «herish. So, also, we have probably done 

 things that we ought not to have done, and 

 Ihe study of our past may help us to see 

 "where we have made mistakes and to show 

 us how to avoid them in the future. There 

 is only one way to make a university what 

 it ought to be, and that is by doing good 

 work according to the highest standards. 

 Professore and students must cooperate in 

 this. With the right professors we shall 

 have this cooperation. Students have the 

 power of collective judgment that is prob- 

 ably fairer than the judgment of any in- 

 dividual. They will work well if their mas- 

 ters work well. The professor is teaching 

 all the time. His duty to his students is not 

 done when he dismisses them from the lec- 

 ture room or the laboratory. His influence 

 for good or evil is continuous and lasting. 



Will you allow me a iew personal words? 

 Those of you who know most of the occur- 

 rences of last year know best that the office, 

 the duties of which I formally assume to- 

 day, came to me unexpectedly and against 

 my wishes. My life \xp to the present has 

 been spent as a teacher. I ask no higher 

 occupation. There is none more rewarding. 

 It would have been agreeable to me to con- 

 tinue in this occupation to the end. In- 

 deed, even as matters now stand, I hope it 

 w^ll not be necessary for me to withdraw 

 entirely from the work to which my life has 

 thus far been devoted. On the other hand, 

 I recognize to the full the importance of 

 the new work to which I have been called, 

 and I accept the new duties mth the inten- 



tion of using every effort to further the 

 interests of this University. Having taken 

 the step, I accept the responsibility. I can- 

 not permit anything to interfere with the 

 work of the presidency. I believe, however, 

 that I shall not be obliged to give up that 

 which is dear to me in the science of chem- 

 istry. 



In conclusion, I wish to express my 

 hearty thanks to my distinguished prede- 

 cessor, to my colleagues, to the students of 

 the University, and to this community for 

 the kindness with which they have accepted 

 my election. I could not ask for better 

 treatment. In return, I can only promise 

 to do all that in me lies to make this Uni- 

 versity worthy of its history, to make it as 

 helpful as possible, not only to this com- 

 munity, of which I am proud to be a mem- 

 ber, but to the State and to the country. 

 It is my earnest wish, as I am sure it is 

 yours, that the period upon which the Uni- 

 versity now enters may be at least as use- 

 ful as that which now ends. 



We have passed through a time of great 

 anxiety. Causes have been in operation 

 that have of late seriously interfered with 

 our development. It is not strange that the 

 world at large should have received the 

 impression that the Johns Hopkins Uni- 

 versity has seen its best days. The fact is 

 that the doleful stories that have been 

 going the rounds have a slight basis. It is 

 this: The growth of the University has 

 been temporarily checked. It has not gone 

 backward, but, for a time at least, it has 

 stood still. I believe that a new day has at 

 last dawned and that the onward march 

 will soon be taken up. Our difficulties have 

 by no means been overcome, but a magnifi- 

 cent beginning has been made. The public 

 spirit and generosity of William Wyman, 

 of William Keyser, of Samuel Keyser, of 

 Francis M. Jencks, of William H. Buckler 

 and Julian Le Roy White, are worthy of 

 the highest commendation. These high- 



