The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-28
THE STATES EDUCATORS.
Continuation of the Sessions of the
Teachers and College Associations.
President StOtts Annual Address-Some
Changes in the Manner of Holding SEES
sions Proposed by the Teachers.
THE COLLEGE ASSOCIATION.
Address of President Stott and Papers by
Standardization of Officers

UHemDefs-GAIecblOn oil OEflcefS.
The Indiana College Association met yester-
day in its second days session. 1t was moved
by DIR. Benton, and seconded by Dr. Moss, that
Professor r. A. Warder, OF Purdue, be COM
mittee of one to report the next session of the
association plan for postgraduate courses of
study.
Professor L. S, Thompson, of Purdue Uni
versity, read paper cart education in
American colleges The paper was an
ceedlngly interesting one. The fact cited
that when the institutions of learning after
which ours have been modelled were in state
OF form alton and growth there a prejudice
in the early Protestant mind against paintings
and sacred pictures, because art of this kind
was largely patronized by the Pope. For this
and some other reasons the classics and mathe-
MATES preoccupled the ground, and art study
has been neglected. This is believed to have
been mistake of our fathers, and we now ask
all in authority to assist in IN aking amends for
this deficiency. Proper art culture would do
something to so modify public opinion that will
not hereafter demand such extrayagant display
in dress and furniture. Our people would learn
that much moro artistic effects can be secured
with less money. May we not believe that this
culture would also lead us to despse the vulgar
amusements which now seem TO have such per-
feet sway over the minds and even over the
morals of society,"
This was discussed by Miss r. J. Thompson. of
Franklin College, her paper being read by Pro-
fessor Chaffee.
PRESIDENT sToTT's ADDRESS.
PRESIDENT Stott then delivered his address, the
subject being, "The college and the Common
wealth." He said that 1t was said in the first
annual address before this association that ''not
dog wags his tongue against Yale or Prince
ton, yet who is there but feels at liberty to cast
a stone at any one of our colleges, whatever its
pretensions, and our rights are questioned and
our methods are denounced" These words
were uttered in a contrast between colleges of
Massachusetts, and New Jersey and those of our
own State and the West generally. Five years
have passed, and we know that public opinion
is not capable of very rapid change. Possibly
the case was put somewhat too strcnely; but,
admitting that our colleges are not held in the
esteem to which their object and their work en-
1 SiSe "a petro understanding es,' hy what
about. ecannot but recognize that there Is
in our State considerable appreciation OIL our
colleges. now. Since we last met the State gov
eminent itself has provided for the endowment
of one of the institutions represented in this as
ISOLATION, and a Christian gentleman OF large
and wise foresight has assured the |
endowment of another. This benificenoe is on /
so liberal a scale, and gives promise of so great
things yet to be done by the large-hearted full
handed, fdr-sighted men of this mod |
ern country for other colleges, tha1 |
We owe Mr.. DePauw an expression |
of our high appreciation of his most generous |
and wise investment Nor have other colleges |
of the State been without evidences OF grow
ing public regard, so that, while tkliif -"re not
as well as they might be, neither are they as i'll
~ +he-- -oirht More important than material
wealth is general intelligence. In form of
government at least fair degree of intelligence
is necessity to him who would be worthy
citizen for he is constantly called upon to make
choices, the intelligent making of which Involves
q clear comprehension of facts and fuuda-
mental. ethical, political and religious priael-
pies. 1t is only as trained mind busies itself in
discovering ana applying the physical forces
that there is any certain and rapid increase IN
wealth, and only as mind becomes acquainted
with polite literature is there begotten that high
taste and self-forgetting suavity of manner that
mako life joy instead of a misery.
More important to the state than wealth or
general intelligence is morality. Enough OF the
stream of human misery has already flowed TO
made. Any just definition of the state must
assume that each citizen owes the duty of life
and protection to every other, and that the in
Jury of one cannot be upimportant since it af-
feets the we'll being of another. Morality Is so
Intimately related to Christianity as its source
that there could be no hope of the permanency
and genuine progress of q commonwealth
in which there was not the recog-
uiten and practical advocacy of the
nrinciples Of the religion of the Bible. In the
very infancy of our government Washington, in
his farewell address to the army after eight years
of suffering and selfdeniai. says "And let us
with caution indulge In the supposition that
morality can be maintained without religion"
AS to his estimate OF intelligence, this ex-
of primary Importance, institutions for the gen.
eral diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as
the structure of government of gives force to
public opinion it is necessary that public opin-
ion be enlightened" 1t being accepted then
That wealth, general intelligence and morality
are the main elements in the prosperity 1.-THE
state, we ready to inquire TO which extent,
if any, the college promises these ends, and no
term an better express the purpose OF the col
iere than those just used to indicate the princi-
pie elements in the prosperity OF the common
wealth.
dren of the wealthy and the high-born. These
forms but small part of the number that under
take and prosecute liberal education. The
younr man reared in idleness and eneyvated
with luxury has not the force of Will to put him.
self into the mental struggle implied in genuine
scholarship. .er .s-. ..-. 49, .4l
The college becomes, in a very large sense, the
great leveler of society. Distinction does not
he is and what he can dn. The son of adversely,
by few years OF self-denial and
severe mental application, becomes
the peer, and more thar the peer
of the son of fortune. The most vicious youth
do not repair to the cities OF learning. Their
tastes are averse to the quiet ana the sustained
vieor necessary to mental mastery. Let it be
borne in nina that these youth are gathered at
a time in their lives when the most possible can
be done for their, and, consequently, through
them. 1t is what is called the plastic period
Using round numbers we have 500 institutions
| of higher learning, 5000 Instructors, 100000
pupils, 100000 volumes in libraries, and in
vested IN buildings, grounds, cabinets, labora-
| tories, gardens and in endowment funds We have
81 SO, 900, 900. Surely such forces, wisely COM
bined and exerted along the lines OF our nations
| prosperity, ought to be very powerful for good
Each scholar becomes center OF intelligence,
and from each of these centers goes forth the ef-
| feet upon the community. His candle is in the
| candle stick, it Is lighted, aud it must shine.
member of this association said not long
| ago, in a newspaper article, that an ounce of
| seeing Ia worth Thousand pounds OF hearing,
We accept 1t, and find that IL Is of 1ncalculaole
| value to the student to see his professor think