, 1890-03-16
HELP THE BOYS ALONG.
Ex-PRESlDENT McosH ON THE
VALUE OF AN EDUCATION.
A Chance for All Young Men-wIthout
Much Money They May Secure an Edu-
cation and Make Themselves Useful.
Words of Wisdom.

amy may ctSuAo MI Iuu-
cation and Make Themselves Useful.
Words of Wisdom.
There is at this moment a vast number of
young men all over the country who have a
deep and burning desire to have a college Cd
~ucation, but who from straitened circum-
stances know not how to obtain it. l am to
try to help them
First let the youth settle with himself
whether he has such a taste and talent for
learning and such a strength OF character and
purpose as will carry him through the diff
cuities which he will have to encounter as he
passes through school and college. II he has
not, let him betake himself to some kind Of
labor or business, rather than enter upon a
struggle in which he will probably falter and
fail But II he has, let him follow his incli-
nations, aud in the end, God sparing him, he
will be sure to succeed and find many means
Off, .uju5 rnels sii :=csnlness provided for
him.
HIMSELF.
He will first have to look out for a school
where the branches leading to a college en-
trance are taught. 1t is necessary that he
should have some teacher, professional or
non-professional, to start him. II he can
continue with his teacher he should do so.
But il he cannot he may to a large extent
educate himself. In Princeton college some
OF our brightest and most solid students have
been, to a large extent, self educated, getting
occasional aid from their minister, or from a
college alumnus or a stray teacher. A youth
thus trained may acquire a Robustness of
mind never acquired by those who have been
depending all along on others.
While he is pursuing this course, with a
teacher, II possible, without a regular in
structor If he cannot have one, let him send
for a college catalogue, which he will get for
n0thinU or for n trida apd lt him a-a,;,,
it carefully in order to direct his studies In
order fully to comprehend it he should con-
suit with his teacher or minister, or a college
graduate. Meanwhile he may have to en-
gage In some work bringing a small remuner-
alton; the best office he can get is that of an
assistant teacher. Whatever he does, he
should reserve his evenings for study.
In nearly all American colleges there are
scholarships which may not fully sustain him,
but will help him and at least pay his tuition.
Let him apply for one of these, and by perse-
verance he is sure to get it. BY means of the
catalogue, or by private inquiry, he will find
what the expenses OF the college are for the
year. There are good colleges in which he
can struggle through for $500, or even 500 a
year In addition to his scholarship. In the
summer vacation of three months he may be
able to get remunerative work in some house
Of business, say as a clerk or temporary assist
AAtaaf hASL VA XIV All
health; In hawking books, which will show
him the country; as waiter In a hotel, or in
some chance job, any one of which will give
him a knowledge Of the world and business
habits - make his scholarship money avail
able for good. All such employments are re-
spectacle and actually respected when the
character Is good; more 80, and win raise
him more In the esteem Of his friends and the
public, than a constant dependence on elee-
mosynary aid
GOO AND JET
But he may get friends to aid him who
will not interfere with his Independence.
1t may be that the congregation Of which
he is a member, more especially II he is
going forward to the ministry, may help
one who is helping himself; or some lady
or gentleman noticing his perseverance,
may encourage one who is evidently so
anxious to improve himself. II his means
fail him, he may retire from college for a
year or two and engage in some useful en-
ployment, to return with perhaps a more ma
ture mind. Let him all the while be securing
the friendship Of his professor and his fellow
students, not by cringing or fawning, but by
good conduct and diligence in study, and they
may tell of offices which he can fill, and help
him to secure them.
Give US a young man with fair talents,
with good moral character and with perse-
- @ASOg @A9 h3e Nae bNSo PANNA coa~e "a
God, which he should always seek to watch
over him, and he is sure to succeed in spite of
all discouragements and difficulties
can claim that when | was a college pro-
fessor or president l had always great pleas
ure in encouraging such struggling young
men Now in my retirement l have no great
er enjoyment than in following the careers of
those who have studied under me, many Of
them having attained high and honorable
nnaitfnna IN thu rhTrOh nj tho h.r IN rnnIi-
cine, or in business. l can count eighty-seven
professors or presidents OF colleges-seven in
Ireland and eighty in America-who studied
under me-. l get occasional letters from old
pupils in South America, in India, in China
and Japan, occupying useful positions as mis-
sionaries and in dozens OF other fields.
A BAMPLE CAsK.
One case may be a sample OF others. When
l was professor in Queens college, Belfast,
Robert Hart, who had been the first student
Of his year and the first in my classes Of phil
osophy, came to me after graduating and
said: you have given me a high education,
but l do not know what to make of it,"
asked to what denomination he belonged,
and he told me that he was a Methodist, and
1 suggested that he might become a Methodist
minister. But he replied that he had no call.
i inquired whether he would go on to law,
and he said: 81 am the son of q working
miller. The training for law is very expen-
hve and my father has no more money to
spend for me-" / told him l would keep his
case before me. Shortly after the distin-
Ruished statesman, Earl Clarendon, asked our
president to send up a student to compete for
. position in the consular service in China.
/ got him appointed our candidate and no
stood first in a competition open to every col
lege in the British dominions. He went to
China, rose to be q high mandarin, became
collector for the whole external revenue of
China, was appointed by the British govern
ment ambassador TO China, was made a bar
onet by Queen Victoria (Sir Robert Hart,
established himself a university to give west
ern learning to the Chinese, and Is now ac-
knowledged to be about the ablest and most
influential man in that great empire.
But this Is not the best part of my story.
A few years ago he wrote me, saying: ~
owe much to you. l believe you have a son
in Princeton college; let him graduate and
then send him out to China, and l will pro-
vide for him for life" We did not accept
the offer. But I was greatly touched by the
incident.
I mention these things not to crafty any
personal vanity l may have, but simply to
encourage young men to cultivate their
minds. / have spent thirty-six years OF my
life In teaching students. Now when | have
to cease from this work l have great ~satisfac-
ton in writing this paper to stimulate young