"As I was telling you, President Dunster sat in Grandfather's chair in 1642, when he conferred the degree of bachelor of arts on nine young men.

They were the first in America who had received that honor.

And now, my dear auditors, I must confess that there are contradictory statements and some uncertainty about the adventures of the chair for a period of almost ten years.

Some say that it was occupied by your own ancestor, William Hawthorne, first speaker of the House of Representatives.

I have nearly satisfied myself, however, that, during most of this questionable period, it was literally the chair of state.