Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-07-04
VAUDEVILLE, July 3

Prot. LyfOrd has been instructor at this insti-
tuition for the past q years, and all bear wit
ness 10 his faithfulness and conscientious dis
change the name of the fitting school here
from Waferville Classical Institute 10 Coburn
Inststute in honor of ex-Gov. Coburn, its
munificient patron who is causing a new
building to be erected here for the school at
an expense to himself of $4,000.
p Glass day exercises at the church this af-
ternoon took place with the following prog
ramme: Grafton by W. &. Chapman; poem
by G. W. Smith; history by F. c. verrill,
and an address to the undergraduates takes
place on the campus this afternoon. The
lass Of SO which graduated fourteen. twelve
of whom are now alive. held reunion here.
Among the number are J. f. Baldwin of Gin
cinnati, VIM. Pitt Bartlett of Eu Claire. Wis.
Rev. Geo. Buffers of Pawtucket, X. L., Albert
Owen.of Granville, II. II. Richardson of
Portland, ex-Gov. Plaisted. 5. X. Barstow of
Chicago. J. W. Wilton of Lacrosse, Wis.
An Grafton before the literary societies was
delivered at the Baptist church this evening
as follows
You are at once charged with the high re-
sponsibilities to which your college is dedi-
Gated and are also linked to the cause of the
people whose welfare it serves. So far from
being separated from their level, you are only
the more identified with them. There is no
conflict between scholar and people. rather
it may be said there is no distinctively edu-
Gated class in our country, or more truly,
all are one educated class, educated far be-
yond the standard of the marvellous diffu-
sion of knowledge. While the athenian
drone will criticise quantity or accent the
American laborer discusses the question OF
philosophy and State. Two years ago the
greatest OF American scholars addressed his
fellow alumni NJ Harvard, arragned the
scholars of America for their failure and
timidity in responding to the great cause of
the people. A year later an Grafton. not
less brilliant, defended the scholar and the
college and their service, but the distinction
is unsubstantiated. Wendell Phillips and
George William Curtis are indeed educated
men, but is their education more of the
people, more from the book, or from contact
with the living needs or interests of human
ity, Will you array Franklin and Lincoln
on one side of the line of useful, patriotic
scholarship. and Jefferson and Andrews on
the other; you may as well draw another ar
tiifcial line of birth or race or wealth.
True lives are interviewer, not apart
Scholarship and education are of no place or
Limitation, they come from no favored
spring, they blossom whatever the soil and
whatever the culture, wherever there is a
soul that hungers and thirsts for them. The
newspaper itself is curriculum for the I'M
limited diffusion of good literature, the ia
miliarity of industrial science; and the pub
lie library, without which no village is longer
creditable. The lively interest and agitation
of popular debates are a richer school than
the Greek academy OF some modern univer-
sites.
1t is indeed dwelling time, but it levels
up and not down. We loose of course, the
special instances of great intellect, now
that they are the rule and not the exception.
There will be more matchless orations pre-
scented in the dedication of school books,
when orations As brilliant as Everetts are
the forgotten u,terances Of last years plat
form; and yet we have this gain-that the
cheapness of rhetorics raised the value of
plain speaking and truth. There will never
be another federalist when our daily press
teens with the political essays that rival
its argument. Do then belittle a college
graduate? By no means; l only define it as
itself, but rather a help and means to edu-
cate pathway. the finest of all. in which the
student may be of usefulness and service.
He is one not apart from, but one among the
will therefore be not so much one a IN in
tellectual range, il will be one of character
There is not question, today, in the national
or international policy in loyal legislation
but is understood, or ia recreation, in litera-
ture or in art that does not turn en-
moral pivot. England cannot deal with the
Irish or any other question and preserve her
self from the problem of freedom aud slavery,
a. co-existence under our federal union elud-
ed the wisdom of craftsmanship and grew
like cancer at the vitals of the Republic
until the straightforward stroke of moral
right solved the whole intricacy as the wedge
rives the heart of the oak. The eloquence
of Webster's 9Th of March speech faded like
dew. but forever endures the despised aboli-
tionist's simple affirmation; slavery is
wrong. All the more is this true of the in
dividual fashion change-the solid earth dies,
integrates science. and continually shifts the
adjustment of the lens of truth Theologies
crumble, but the simple elements of person
al character are eternal springs. either of
moral happiness or misery. The distinction
eff the future is the moral distinction. But
IN the o< xho ,r Az