The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-06-19
THE DIGNITY OF LABOR.
Words Of Wisdom For the
Youth to Heed.
ADDRESS OF EVAN P. HOWELL
To the Students of North Georgia
Agricultural College.

| Agricultural college by Captain Evan z.
Howell, Of Atlanta:
Ladies and Gentlemen and Young Gentle
men of the North Georgia Agricultural Col
| lego: trust YOU will pardon me fordeparting
! somewhat from the beaten track in the brief
| address which | propose to make you today.
| | have selected subject that has not met
with as much favor III college commencements
in the past as its importance demands. We
have had some mistaken ideas about labor.
In the first place, it is not an uncommon
thing to hear it said that labor is the result Of
the original sin of Adam and Eve in the gar
den OF Eden.
In the second place, it seems to be the de-
sire Of some to secure an education so that they
will not have to labor.
Both propositions are false in fact and false
in theory; and as you are about to commence
what may be termed the active period of your
life, will address myself to you on subject
that will be, If duly considered, of the greatest
importance to your temporal welfare
Mysubiect is the dignity of labor. Labor in
all its forms was dignifed by the Divine Gre
ator when He labored for six days to create the
heavens and the earth and all the living
creatures that dwell therein. He labored six
days and on the seventh He rested. There can
be no rest without labor in the very begin
ming man was ass gned a duty: he was to care
for and keep the beautiful garden of Eden.
That garden was given to him for
q home, and VIC all know that
under the impulse of life that had
been given to The vegetable world Eden
would have soon grown into a rank wilderness
OF fruits and flowers if Adam had not been
made to labor 1t was also required of him as
a part OF his labor to name the various beast
of the field. In fact the meagre details of
the creation that have come down to us are
full Of suggestions that man was to lead an
active and q busting life, full of pleasure and
responsibility. In the very nature of things he
was to labor in order to enjoy life to the fullest
extent.
As tho Lord labored to create the world, so
it was intended that created man should find
happiness and content in the activities and re-
sponsblites that belong to labor. If YOU will
investigate the matter little you will find
that the first time Adam was caught in the
shade was after he had disoheyed the COM
mands OF God. He was in the shade hiding
and loafng. Not only does the re sealed word
OF God dignity labor, but all nature teaches
the grand lesson. The stars that shine in the
heavens, the iife-giving sun, the earth
on which we live the whole universe, in fact
move in never-ending circles. Everything
is busy-life itself is labor; bat it is given to
the intelligence of man to so direct his labor
that it shall benefit not only himself but other
people as well. AS a staguant pool breeds the
germs OF disease, 80 dleness breeds all forms
OF sin. We have not properly dgnified labor
in the past. This is true not only of our own
people, but of all mankind. The historian
chronicles the results of labor; but how few
the names of the heroes in this
in history! You, young gentlemen,
can name the heroes at the siege of Troy, but
who Can tell the names Of even few of those
who, iy their ceaseless toll and skill, built the
pyramids OF Egypt. Old Sir Thomas Browne
himself a busy man i'll bookmaking and phys
icking,quaintly says Il quote his meaning if not
his Words: eve know who laid the torch to
the temple of Diana, but the name is lost
of him that built it, Our histories are
full of the heroic deeds of great
IF I'm
Yet how mucn suffering, devastation
and bloodshed mark its pages. History is
full of the deeds OF those who kill, who tear
down and destroy, bat how CURLY
and briefly it deals with the memories Of
those who have built up the waste places
that war has made. The destroyers have in
many instances monopoized the attention of
statesmen, While labor and its grand results
have been turned over to tho tender mercies
of the demag6Iue and agitator who seek
only their own ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
The pages OF history TEEN with glowing ac-
counts of the destruction OF great cites, and only
the soldiers who destroyed them are known to
fame Nou can name the generals who have
won great renoWn in the business of
war; You know the strength of their
armies; yea know almost every detail of the
plans of their campaign; but you do not know
the names of those who built the cities that
were destroyed.
A short time since it was icy good fortune to
hear grand compliment paid to citizen of
Georgia. compliment that illustrates in
some sort the views have been trying in my
feeble way to impress upon you. Said DR..
Scott Todd, one of the eminent physicians of
Atlanta: "In that final day, when all secrets
are revealed, would rather be DR.. Abner W.
Calhoun than to be Julius Cesar,
with all his glory and ,ronown.
were tho victims of the cruelty that made
him great. But DIR. Calhoun will meet the
poor 10 whom he has been beuefactor, the
blind he he's made 10 see, the deaf he has made
to hear, the dumb lie has made TO speak. The
one viii meet multitude of enemes the
other will meet multitude of friends" What
q grand compliment, | say, to q fellow-citizen
1t is true, every word of it, and to such exam
pies | commend you. 1t was accomplished by
patient labor, and is the legitimate fruit of IT,
We do not properly appreciate labor, We
do not properly estimate how much comfort
and happiness it has added to our World-how
it has gone hand in hand with religion and
education to dispel tho darkness of savage
life. and to forward the work of civilization
War may destroy, but it is the mission of la
Dor 10 build up, to reyiYe, to rehablitate, 20
reconstruct. 1t is the basis of all wealth and
of all prosperity. When it lsnguishes the
pcople feel il, Just rs they do when they fail 10
get the fresh mir OF heaven TO breathe. When it
ceases the people suffer 1t fills the professions
with successful men. II is the motor behind
art and science. Even genius-that indefinite
QuaGtY that defes analysiS-has been de-
of labor and patience. Ii is, therefore, your
duty--t is 10 your interest-that when You go
forth from these walls you have proper ideas
us to the dignity and necessity of labor.
Young gentlemen, you are about to enter
ON the active duties Of life. DO not
make the mistake that many have
made before you. How often we hear a
Young man say. when his college career is
closed, that he has finished his education. No
mistake could be more fatal to success.
The young man who seriously believes that
his education is completed with his college
course may as we'll write the result of his lie
in one woTd-FAlLUBE.
Your real education has just begun. What
YOU have learned here under the inhueuce and
direction of your wise and patient professors
will DO infinitely useful to YOU, no matter
where your lot in life is cast but to what you
have learned in your books you must add that
practical education which makes men success
ful This practical education is rendered nee
essary by the competition which viii meet you
every where and at every turn in business and
in the professions. 1t is rushing.
rafting hcartleSs competition where every
one is compelled to look out for
himself. 1t is ia this whirlpool Of
human nature and human activity that
YOU must he educated, and it is here that YOU
4 a..