1884.] 439 {Ruschenberger. 
address by a professor in the presence of invited friends. The 
ceremony was sedate, without manifestation of that sense of 
triumph which successful young candidates are supposed to feel 
on such an occasion. As many Friends regard the fine arts, 
painting and sculpture, as frivolities, things not only unneces- 
sary to happiness, but in their influence detrimental in some 
indefinite way to a proper observance of purely moral life; and 
music, by its charms, as likely to allure to evil ways, to divert 
the mind from industry and the pursuit of substantial things, 
their aversion to the proposed display was entirely in harmony 
with their ancient opinions in this connection. Rather than 
assent to the proposed arrangements some of them resigned, or 
purposely were absent. 
Nevertheless, the commencement was held, April 4, 1851, in 
Sansom Street Hall, in the presence of a large audience, attended 
‘ by a band of good music. Those most concerned were highly 
pleased. ‘The vacancy caused by the resignation of the presi- 
dent was well filled on the occasion by Dr. Bridges, who con- 
ferred the degree of “graduate of pharmacy” on those entitled 
to the honor.* 
The painstaking and kindly ways of Dr. Bridges in teaching, 
won for him affectionate and enduring respect from those whom 
he taught. At the commencement, March, 1867, a portrait of 
him, in oil, was presented to the college by the Phi Zeta 
Society; and the graduating class, at the commencement, March, 
1877, presented to him astem-winding gold watch. 
The additional labor imposed by adopting the method of 
teaching in graded courses, induced Dr. Bridges, in June, 1878, 
to procure an assistant. And in January, 1879, at a meeting 
of the Board of Trustees, he stated informally that his impaired 
health constrained him to announce that he would relinquish 
the chair of chemistry at the close of the course. 
On hearing of his intended resignation, the graduating class 
of one hundred and fourteen members, representing eighteen 
States, held a meeting and adopted a preamble and resolutions, 
*See The Annual Address before the Alumni Association of the Philadel- 
phia College of Pharmacy, By James Stratton, Ph. G., 1879. 
