Woodrow Wilson ’79 at 25th Anniversary of John Hopkins University

This was published in the March 1, 1902 issue of PAW.

At the celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of Johns Hopkins University and the inauguration of its new president, Dr. Ira Remsen, held at Baltimore on February 21 and 22, Professor Woodrow Wilson ’79 presented the congratulatory address on behalf of the alumni of Johns Hopkins to the retiring president, Dr. Daniel Coit Gilman, the recently appointed head of the new Carnegie University at Washington. Among those upon whom the degree LL.D. was conferred were President Patton and Prof. Wilson. Dr. Gilman, who as President Emeritus conferred the degrees, presented President Patton in the following words: “Woodrow Wilson of Princeton University, writer and speaker of grace and force, whose vision is so broad that it includes both North and South – a master of the principles which underlie a free government, whom we would gladly enroll among us as a professor of historical and political science.”

Apropos, the Baltimore News says: “The name most cheered was that of Prof. Woodrow Wilson of Princeton University. When Dr. Gilman announced him the applause continued unbroken for nearly five minutes, and as it died away, before Dr. Gilman could resume, a group of alumni composed of members of one of Professor Wilson’s old Hopkins classes, struck up the old class yell. Although they were, many of them, well along in years, that did not deter them from putting plenty of snap into the yell. Professor Wilson arose from his seat, as if the sound had touched something dear in his past, and bowed to them, and then the audience cheered again. Next to Professor Wilson’s name, the one which aroused those present most was that of President Hadley, which closed the list. He was cheered vociferously, which seemed to amuse him, as he smiled appreciatively. He, too, was welcomed with an old alumni yell.”

The old class yell referred to, which “touched something dear in his past,” was the modern Princeton cheer given chiefly by member of the Princeton faculty who were there, assisted by the Yale contingent, who in turn were aided in giving a Yale cheer by the Princeton men – the “old alumni yell” which welcomed President Hadley. Neither group was big enough to make much noise alone, so each promised to help the other when the time came. Our official delegates were Prof. Cyrus Fogg Brackett and Prof. Woodrow Wilson ’79. Other members of the faculty present were Professor George M. Harper ’84, P. H. Churchman ’96, and the following graduates or former students of the Hopkins: Professor John H. Finley, Professor E. S. Lewis, Dr. L. P. Eisenhart and Dr. C. W. L. Johnson. Among those who received the degree of Master of Arts was General Lawrason Riggs ’83. One more feature of the occasion of special interest to our alumni was the banquet to Professor B. L. Gildersleeve ’49, the distinguished Greek scholar. It was given by his former students.