Illinois newspaper directory. History of the Illinois press association

Illinois Newspaper Directory and HistoryThe Hall of Fame— J. E. Dertinger, president of the Illinois Press AssociationPresentation and Unveiling of Busts Charles F. Eichenauer, editor of the QuincyHerald Whig; unveiling by Miss Elizabeth DertingerAcceptance of Busts—Governor Louis L. Emmerson, member of the Board of Trusteesof the University of IllinoisSelection—University Men's Glee Club QuartetAddress John H. Finlly, associate editor of the New York TimesBenediction—Rev. H. Clifford Northcott, pastor First Methodist Episcopal Church,ChampaignRecessional: "Festal March," (Calkin)—Professor Russel Hancock Miles of theSchool of Music, University of IllinoisThe address of Dr. John H. Finley of the New York Times, a native son of Illinoisand former president of Knox college, is here presented in full:Historians of the Present TenseBy John H. Finley in 1930"Upon my arrival several years ago in the ancient city of Athens, I was notifiedthat I was expected to make an address on behalf of the colleges, universities and learnedsocieties of America, at the dedication of the Library built by American philanthropy;whereupon I set out early the next morning to consult the oracle at Delphi as to whatI should say. And this was the reply that I got as I meditated amid the mighty ruinsin this most impressive place that was once the center of the earth:Boast not of towers for thus did Babel boast,Nor wheels, Ixion's fate is now as then;Nor Sisyphan statistics upward roll,Before your Agamemnons, there were men."If I had consulted the ancient oracle in preparing to speak at this meeting inpre-dedication of .1 building devoted to journalism, I should doubtless have got muchthe same answer, telling me that there have been Agememnons—that is great men beforeour day in this State, and in all professions."When last I was in this university, I was myself a college president, for I thenfrequently attended academic assemblages by virtue of my office. With apologies toOmar Khayyam:Myself when young did eagerly frequentThe Ph.D's and hear great argumentAbout it and about, but evermoreCome out in doubt, yet wiser than I went.Since then, from having been the youngest college president and having lived to be an"oldest living university president" (in point of service) I have become almost theyoungest of another profession which was, however, not recognized as such as that timebut which now has found cultural care under the aegis academicus."I have chosen for my subject one which associates the journalists with those whoare accounted as learned because they have to do with the past. I have called them theHistorians of the Present Tense."I take the legend which was emblazoned on the walls of the seminary room ofthe University (Johns Hopkins) in which I was once a student, as my warrant forspeaking of history and historians as functioning in the present time. It was a sentencespoken by Edward Freeman, the English historian, in that very room: 'History is pastpolitics and politics present history.' And we may think that even the past functions309