Page:A History of the University of Chicago by Thomas Wakefield Goodspeed.djvu/293

 THE FIRST YEAR 255 a characteristic declaration for academic freedom. "I shall probably say many things with which many of you will not agree, but it is the highest privilege of either a professor or a student in a university to say what he thinks." He strongly urged the organ- ization of literary and debating clubs and the cultivation of the power of public speech. After speaking of the organization of the University Union, of which he had great hopes, destined to dis- appointment, he unfolded the plan of the quarterly Convocation, then a most novel conception with its oration by a single speaker instead of a series of addresses by members of the graduating class. He communicated to the students the action of the Trustees per- mitting the organization of chapters of secret societies and the regulations, quoted above, under which they would be authorized. The President next spoke of the various buildings, and particularly of his hope of a Commons building. The discontent with the Com- mons in the basement of the dormitories was apparently making itself heard, and the President now made this announcement: The entire department of the Commons is now to be transferred to you. You may not care to assume the burden, but it is yours, and you cannot relieve yourselves of it At the earliest possible moment, therefore, the University will transfer to you the management of the Commons. The President informed the students that a plan covering absences from class had been formulated by the Council: Absence for any reason incurs loss. No excuses will be asked for or granted, and if at the end of the year a man has charged against him thirty absences he will be required to take an extra minor to cover them. If there are only twenty-nine absences, nothing will be said about them. The President then made the following announcement, which accorded with a cherished view of his, as to the policy of the University. I am sure that I say nothing that will hurt the feelings of the undergraduates when I say that the University of Chicago is to stand for graduate work, first in the Graduate School and the Divinity School, and when the Medical School and Law School come to be established, I shall be surprised if they admit any but graduates. In conclusion the President urged the importance of the closest fellowship between the students hi every department and the