The Washington critic., 1889-06-13
AN ADDRESS.
Delivered by George Baber of Ken
tuoky at the commencement of
Norwood Institute, wash
ington, ID. O., June


LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: We celebrate
tonight the realization of noble aspira-
tions A struggle has been won, the vic
tory Is complete, and those we meet to
honor are filled with exultant pride These
are the rewards that follow the search OF
letters and inspire the love OF art. The
diploma which Norwood confcrs upon It's
favored children is at once a mark of cour-
ngeous achievement, token OF acknowl-
edged excellence, and the promise OF u
career that should adorn and Illustrate the
sphere OF woman.
THE CULTIVATION or MIND
and the development Of body are ever ami
closely akin TO each other. They arc af-
fected by place and by circumstance alike.
In fact, the surroundings OF a scat Of learn
ing-the visible signs Of students life
are scarcely cssimportant than the currcu-
lum Itself to be followed day by day. The
study Of the texts Ia surely essential; there
can be- In fact, no eillcaclous discipline
without II; but IL is only one Of the methods
which all true teaching requires. The OBJ
iect lessons we see around MS, outside OF
printed texts or books, form likewise an In
dlspensable part IL is these that prompt
the power to think-thc ability to compre-
hend the meaning of practical life-and that
constitute the basis Of the highest training
In the best Of schools In bis admirable
treatise on the Couture OF Self,n John
Stuart Blackie expresses II thus;
"The original and proper sources of
knowledge are not books, but life, expert
ence, personal thinking aud acting. When
n man starts with these, books can I'LL up
many gaps, correct much that Is inaccurate,
| and extend much that Is Inadequate; but,
without living experience, books arc like
| rain and sunshine fallen on unbroken soil"
| | confidently assume that this institution
represents the best type OF educational
| work. Seated In the Capital of the Repub-
lie, the school Is environed by the richest
! sources Of knowledge. whether in or out of
books, and touches all the channels Of prac-
teal thought. 1t has been aptly said, II a
cord were extended over and about the city
| OF Washington, 1t would encompass the
MOST COMPLETE UNIvERsIrY
| Of modern times--a university, may add.
| in which may be gathered the treasures OF
Art, the products of Science, the gems Of
Literature, the suggestions Of Statesman
ship and the experience of n social life en-
riched by intellectual grace--a university
in which the scholar aud the inventor, the
sculptor and the painter, the poet and the
statesman, the philosopher and the orator,
may freely disport themselves IN the wealth
| OF their own requirements, la the light of
their own genius, and in the glory of their
| own famc-a university in which woman
holds an exalted rank, and in which,
withal, power Is recognized as "the soul OF
| knowledge and character as the condition
of intelligence Wchave here, indeed, m
unequaled field for profitable observation,
for personal thinking and for all the activl-
ties which ambition can inspire. These to
the student serve as ''fountains of existence
whence inspiration pours Into the heart
and light streams into the brain.n They
make, in fact, the woman or the man.
In 1903 when Peter the Great chose for
St. Petersburg site on the banks Of the
Neva, he declared that his country needed
| 20 win n1.ttf lt kVh pla mia
look into civilized Europe;'' aud, likewise,
a century later, when George Washington
designated on the plateau of the Potomac
the spot for the Nations future Capital, he
might well have said that the young Re
public needed a window by which the
Americans might look hto the civilized
world. Surely, we have Just such win
dow here. It's scope is high and deep and
wide. IL opens upon scenes Of unrivaled
charm and of ever-changing interest, In
which each actor feels compelled to think
in deeds and find his language in events"
1t presents view Of all enlightened peo-
pies as seen In the language, In the habits,
In culture, and In the creed OF each official
representative who comes to this great
focus of power, bearing marks of his pecu-
liar civilization; and, hence, our concep-
tions OF humanity here become 50 educated
by contact, so heightened by observation,
and so broadened by intercourse as to DER
leap the barriers OF nation and OF cline.
We recognize here the universal brother
hood Of man.
Hardl,' century has passed since the
plan Of this brilliant city was laid, or silent
vacancy possessed the spots now adorned
by splendid institutions consecrated to
science, to literature, to religion, and to
law. II was truly, then, "a city OF magnit-
cent distances" As late as 1904, whilst
Thomas jefferson guided the country's
destiny, Washington appeared to the poet
Moore as
IAN embryo Capital, where fancy sees
Squares In mOrasses, obeisks In trees,
Which travelling fools and gaZetteers adorn.
With shrines unbuilt and heroes yet unborn;
Though naught but woods and Jefferson they
Where streets ahOuld run aud sages ogght to
be-
THE SPECTACLE THAT BREAKS UPON OUR
vision now Is IN striking contrast with that
which greeted the century's dawn. The
Of change. The deep morass has disap-
peared. The magnificent distance has
vanished beneath the aggressive builders
tread. The embryo Capital, forgetful of
its obscure beginning, has far cXcelled its
founders expectations; and the broad Poto-
mae is bordered by "A stately city, destined
soon to surpass all former capitals OF ancient
or OF modern time-a city that owes its
greatness not to means usually employed to
magnify the centres of population, but to
those higher and better things which enoblc
intellect, inspire genius, deepen human
sympathes and purify human life. Tho
city's growth Is an educational develop
ment Starting with the infancy of the Re
public, II has kept full pace with the coun-
try's aspirations II has been, In fact, an
unfolding OF American history. Art and
science, literature and invention have
generously riyaled each other in COM
memorating the events that unite five sue
| gasgiVp traparatfnpg MI In, t,V In
memories Of 1889 wherewith to crown the
century S closing year.
"'Tis the Past
Contending with the present; and in turn
Each has the mastery"
a famous writer lately said that ''tu
come into Constantinople on fine morn
ing is great moment In mans life;n but
what might he have said of an entrance into
Washington amid the glow Of fragrant
morn In Juney Here the soul Is bathcd in
the sweetness Of song and In the light and
beauty leaf and flower. Here we cross, as it
We're, the portals Of mighty school whose
methods teaching foster FAN accurate ac-
quaintanee with the visible and tangible
properties of things,n and whose varied
lessons illustrate the fact, so strikingly
stated by Herbert Spencer, that "eXhaust-
i've observation Is
AN ELEMENT IN ALL GREAT suCCEss.n
Here, the turbulence Of the exchange the
mum ul machinery, tue roar OF Tue furnace,
the thunder of foundries, and the throng
of money seekers pushing with impassioned
violence through dingy streets, are replaced
by the abundant library, the gallery of art,
the college of law, the department of in.
ventions, the academy of science, the Ma,
tional Mueum-by great avenues, umbra,
geous parks, chambers of legislation, monu.
' ments In commemoration of statesmen and
Of events, statues TO heroes, martial music,
( | waving banners, nodding plumes, and
( withal, q population distinguished alike fol