Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-07-28
,u,yap noMmENoEMENTs AND
Soh GLASS DAYS.

COLLEGE coMMENoEMENTs AND
Tn the Eas, they are just entering on the
annual season of college commensurate
and class days. Of honorary degrees for
the gray-haired. and of hard.earned de-
grees for those stepping NJ int" life'
President Johnson wa made an Ii. D.
the other day at Chapel Hill. as President
Lincoln was, we believe, q few years ago,
at Harvard. and as many Of our generals
and statesmen have been at various other
colleges. Nor is this custom without its,
significance and usefulness, since pubic
life educates more really oftentimes than
the seclusions of the college, and gives a
greater breadth and comprehensiveness OF
culture. Those who look upon all de-
srees and titles as empty forms are IN
greater error than even those who esteem
them the chief realities Of life. They are
mo-, in themselves such realities, but they
often point to where they are. Those who
have risen highest by self-effort. have been
most disposed to smooth and ease the road
for their successors, by the liberal endow-
ment of colleges and universities. There
certainly never has been so much done for
the liberal endowment Of these inssisu-
tons as within the last year or two. A
single gentleman, Mr.. Street, has just
given a sum Of money to the Theological
Department connected with Yale College,
which completes a series Of endowments,
in all amounting to S25o,oOO. The Alum
nj of Harvard are just completing a sub
scription, by twenty of their number, Of
$4,000 each, to erect a memorial hall for
commandments and the large public meet
ings of that nature. the First Parish
Church being found quite too small for
that purpose.
The advantage Of there being q class Of
college-educated men in all the walks Of
public and private life is in no way more
clearly manifested than in the influence
they exert on those not trained in the same
course of education. They give direction
and breadth of thought and examination
to oil, and show the processes by which
the wisest aud best have ever sought and
found truth.
1t is both wise and fitting, Of course,
that the race of p~referment should be
equally open to able young men Of hum
BILE fortune, who often, by the strength
and perseverance of their zeal in acquiring
knowledge, outstrip those who rely on the
results of other mems thinking. It is the
fair race Of the strongest men in life that
makes college-bred men strong and keeps
them up to the mark. Thus each class
does good to the other. But as all real
progress is built upon a knowledge Of the
entire past, our social strength must de-
pend greatly and chiefly upon the number
and thoroughness of our educated men.
There is a history belonging to every
branch of science, to every development
Of the human mind, to every language
and to every word. To grasp all this is
the work of education. But for that very
reason the more recently past contains more
important truths than the remote, and
this is where learned men. In their idolatry
of the past, often miss the greatest, most
comprehensive and important truths. One
of the most singular illustrations Of this is
found IN the growing importance Of class
day in colleges, compared with commence
mens day. The latter represents the re-
mote past-the professors. )umni, honor
airy degrees, gowns, etc. but the former
represents the young men just about to
step forth into life, full OF knowledge, and
often full Of fun.
Education produces wealth, and hence
the children Of those who in poverty
sought simply knowledge, come to the
colleges where their fathers studied with
their pockets full Of money, and this brings
new temptations-a sort Of new fashion
for the other institutions. which may
speedily injure and corrupt the younger
colleges, unless pains are taken to preserve
the manner simple, the expenses Of a COL
lege life low, and habits of physical and
mental industry fashionable. The presen,
distinguished President Of Harvard com
menced his college course, working at the
same time for physical exercise on the COL
lego walks. His mathematical powers
are Of worldwide reputation, and every
college that would keep up such a race Of
men must keep openings by which. with
all self-respect and that of others, they
may be trained.