Page:A History of the University of Chicago by Thomas Wakefield Goodspeed.djvu/450

 396 A HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO were without attractive interest and finally ceased to be held. Why, then, was the existence of the Congregation continued after it ceased to meet and after the statute regarding it was recon- structed in 1909 ? Probably because it has one responsibility that may become vitally important to the welfare of the University. It is a great democratic body consisting of the University and its Alumni, and it may "make recommendations to the governing bodies of the University." As long as things go well the Congre- gation may be said to have no functions, to be a fifth wheel in the coach. But if the time ever comes when things go wrong, when the "governing bodies" fail to guide the policies of the institution wisely, the Congregation can make its voice heard. True, it can only recommend. But it will represent such a constituency that its well-considered recommendations urged and perhaps insisted on, with the University and fifty or a hundred thousand alumni behind them, would reach a governing body with something very like authority. This, it is true, is a far cry; perhaps a very remote possibility. It is, however, the one thing that may make the insti- tution of the Congregation an important event in the history of the University. In July, 1896, the first anniversary celebration of the Uni- versity was held. It was in anticipation of this event that the question of the date from which the University should count its years was first considered and given, perhaps, final decision. Should it be July 9, 1890, the day on which the original Board of Trustees held its first meeting and organized for business ? Should it be September 10, 1890, the date of the issuance of the certificate of incorporation by the Secretary of State of Illinois ? Should it be July i, 1891, at which time the term of office of the first Presi- dent began? Or should it be October i, 1892, the day on which the University opened its doors to students and its work of inves- tigation and instruction was begun ? This somewhat difficult and important question was decided rather arbitrarily in favor of July i, 1891, on which day Dr. Harper began his term of service as President. The Quinquennial Celebration began on the anniversary of the day fixed upon, July i, 1896. Several of the events of the cele-