"It is a good plan not to make more of a damn fool of yourself than God Almighty intended," was the advice with which, quoting a telegram sent to the late President Theodore Roosevelt by the late Dean N. S. Shaler, the Honorable Charles Francis Adams '88 opened his address to the Freshmen in the Union last night. Mr. Adams was introduced by Delmar Leighton '19, Dean of Freshmen, following the buffet supper. The other speakers were A. C. Hanford, Dean of the College and the Reverend Willard Learoyd Sperry.

"You come here as well prepared as any young men in the world, but you have led protected lives," Mr. Adams continued. "You haven't been tested by the real difficulties that the world offers. No, you've got to learn self-control. It is the armor which protects you from landing in the gutter of failure. The world that you have to face is a pretty dark one. Men enter with serious determination and singleness of purpose. You have got to find your way on. Here, you have the opportunity to gather strength to meet that battle. Today, as always, success depends upon the survival of the fittest. To be a success and gain some measure of happiness you must survive. To survive in this battle your brain must be trained. Here is your opportunity. Make the most of it.

"Some of you will drift, peacefully drift, but ships that drift land on the beach wrecked. Some 50 per cent of you will mean well but do feebly. You will follow the rules, but you will not put your all into the task. But it takes courage to plot your course and see it through to the end. The hundred per centers among you will have that courage."