President DEMAREST: We have been greatly honored in having with us the Minister from the Netherlands. He spoke to us this morning, reading what he had to say. We enjoyed it, but I think he himself more enjoys speaking freely, and he will say a few words to us again tonight.

SPEECH

CHEVALIER W. L. F. C. VAN RAPPARD

Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from the Netherlands MR. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: It is very kind of you that after having had to listen to me this morning you still invite me to speak a few words this evening also.

This morning I spoke especially as representative of my country, as Minister from the Netherlands. Perhaps you will allow me this evening to speak more personally and tell you why I am so happy that you kindly give me again the occasion to address you. A diplomat, when he comes to a new country, always tries to get as much information about the country to which he is sent as possible. So when three years ago I was appointed Minister to Washington, I went everywhere in Europe to get my information about this country. I heard a great deal that pleased me, but there were also some small things that made me afraid. One of the small things I heard of-and I do not think it is a small thing any more-was that Americans were great after dinner speakers. Put, so I was told by my informants, the average American man on his feet during or after a banquet and he will keep his audience pleasantly busy between ten minutes and two hours. Probably, they added, you, a foreigner, will not enjoy those American after dinner speeches as much as the other members of the audience, because it is always the custom for after dinner speakers to tell jokes, and probably you often will not understand them. And even today I had the proof of that. I listened with great

attention to what Mr. Finley, the President of the University of the State of New York, said just now; and I must admit lots of his jokes I did not understand. For instance why, in the name of heaven, did he call the young looking President of Princeton, "Grandpapa Hibben?" My informants on the other side further said that in those jokes very often colored people were introduced as heroes, and those colored people used quite a peculiar slang, which would be difficult for me to understand, they thought. Finally they told me that the representative of a foreign country was always a much sought after person for after dinner speeches, and that to speak after dinner was in their opinion more the attribute and requirement of a diplomat than to write political reports to his country; because those reports, they ironically hinted, would probably never be read by his Government, whereas his speeches, if the newspaper men were present, would appear in the newspaper and would be very much read. So figure yourself in my position, not even accustomed to speaking in public in my own language, now obliged to speak in a language not familiar to me, knowing nothing about the colored people, their customs or slang. You bet your life I was scared!

I remember my first experience in this line. I had to speak at a banquet in New York a few days after my arrival in the United States before three or four hundred people. I had carefully prepared my speech, thinking that that would do. But immediately I saw that would not do. I quickly felt and realized that I could not compete with American citizens in speaking after dinner. After that I changed my tactics. I stopped trying even to be clever and decided when it was my turn to speak simply to get up and let my heart speak. I said quite simply what came into my mind. And then I suddenly remarked that by acting in that way I came in touch with my audience. There seemed to be a sympathy between them and me. I explain this sympathy because, as a rule, I had to speak before audiences who were Nether

lands citizens or American citizens descendants of the old Dutch settlers; we were of the same family. And curiously and happily, now that I am speaking to you, I have that same feeling and I know that we go along together, with the same friendly feelings existing between us as existed between the founders of this college and their motherland. I state with pleasure and satisfaction that you, as their successors, have taken over that Dutch cordiality, joviality, and hospitality that surely those old Dutch settlers had. And if, in 1766 when this college was founded, the united provinces had been able to send over to you a representative of the Netherlands I feel sure that that man should not have found a kinder reception at Rutgers College than I have had one hundred and fifty years later the pleasure of meeting at your hands. And therefore when I let my heart speak, it only utters words of gratitude.

I thank you for this kind reception, and I thank you, Mr. President and Rutgers College, more particularly for the great honor that you will confer upon me tomorrow morning by giving me the degree of Doctor of Laws. Thirty years ago I began my law studies at the renowned University of Leyden. Now I reach the crown of my law studies by getting the degree of Doctor of Laws at Rutgers College. By honoring me in that way you associate me with two of the foremost educational institutions which have given, not only to their countries, but I dare say also to the world, men of great distinction.

Mr. President, I listened this morning with the greatest attention to your historical address and I will prove to you that I listened to it. You told us that years and years ago, when there was a question as to where your college should be established, there was one gentlemanI do not remember his name just now-who said it was better to pick New Brunswick. One of the reasons he gave was because there were such beautiful women in New Brunswick. I have been here twenty-four hours, I have had occasion to see a pageant this afternoon, I have

had the pleasure of being introduced to several ladies of New Brunswick, now I see lots of the fair sex in the galleries above me, and I wish to state that the old gentleman who two hundred years ago made the choice of the site of the College was quite right. If I had been in his place I should surely also have voted for New Brunswick.

Therefore, after my words of gratitude to you, I make my bow to the ladies of New Brunswick.

President DEMAREST: The speeches of the evening are over. I simply want to add that the delegates are to unite in procession to the Kirkpatrick Chapel tomorrow. They will meet in the Library at half past nine and the exercises will begin at the Chapel at ten.

CLASS REUNION DINNERS

On Friday evening also the class reunion dinners of the alumni were held. Certain anniversary classes had reunions by themselves. In most instances because of limited rooms available, the classes met in groups. Arrangements in general were made by the alumni chairman and secretaries in New Brunswick, and the classes assembled as shown in the program given in full in the Appendix.

Probably six hundred alumni in all attended these dinners.

TORCHLIGHT PROCESSION AND SINGING

Also on Friday evening the undergraduates formed on the Queen's Campus, paraded in torchlight procession through the city, and on their return gave a program of college singing on the campus at the old Queen's Building, where the alumni in large number joined with them.