Brookings register. (Brookings, S.D.) 1890-1894, 1893-04-21


The following is Il portion of II lee
turc delivered by President Adams
OF the Wisconsin university to the
students Of the Minnesota university.
Summed up character" j. declared to
be the key 20 the best things Of life.
Unexpected successes are always
welcome. Many a man enters college
under great disadvantages; finds him
self l0adCd down with conditions. He
goes to work in earnest. sweeps every
thing before him and goes out into
the world TO win Il high and honorable
place. | shall give vOu what seem to
me the conditions necessary for a sue
ccSSful life. Above all things it is
needfuI that YOU prepare for any work
YOU are about to undertake.. With
equal education. however. no two men
will meet exactly the same success.
Natural ability comes in us Il prime
factor. The main thing to be gained
by course in college is the power Of
acute perception. Nearly all that We
learn in high school and college is for
gotten by the time We become 10 Years
OF age. Thus ii is not what one learns
but TN" impression left upon the mind
that cduCatcS him. For this purpose
in my opinion the study Of language
is best. OF modern language. prob
ably German is most suitable for
mental Development. OF the ancient
languages without doubt the Greek is
sufficient TO all others. Tn" second
thing to be gained 10y college rduca-
tiOn is the power Of logical reasoning
For developing this faculty, mat he
maticS is we'll fitted, But mathrmat-
iCS must not be carried 100 far The
reasoning Of life is usually based upon
stated principles. Only partial data
is given. Reasoning in life may be
called the art of guessing rightly. The
judgment is TO be developed. For his
nothing is better adapted than history
and the study Of pOlitiCaI events.
These expand the mind. 1t has been
said that history is largely false. 1t
may be SO. but the result Of this study
is undoubtedly broadening. With
these conditions the first thing needed
is well developed enthusiasm. Sue
cess is never founded upon fault find
ing and dcSt rllctiom. Enthusiasm
only can bring the largest success. en-
thuSiaSm which prevails until its end
is attained. TO students | wish to
say that success largely depends upon
Il iudiciUuS use Of leisure. From work
rest is necessary. But this rest may
be gained while pursuing other lines
of activity. Have Il book always at
hand which can b" taken up in mo-
mCntS of leisure and You will thus
form habit which will remain with
YOU through life. The next thing to
consider is manner. The effect of
manner is very great. EmcrSOn'S eS-
say ON this subject should be read by
every student. No person who is de-
sirous of the highest success can afford
to overlook this important element.
Ii is often SAID that the business Of
a college is to give students knowledge
but yet knowledge without ability to
use il is worse than useless. Lastly
all these powers may be had and still
success not be attained. With every
thing else character is essential. This
is not the result Of knowledge. II is
not the power to discriminate between
right and wrong. The prisons are full
of men who have the ability to tell
good from evil. The essential thing
is to choose and do the right which the
intellect points out. Character is the
babitual choice of good or evil. If
character is not good, knowledge may
be misapplied and harm will result in
DropOrtiOn to the strength of the in
dividuaI. Character then is essential
and this is to be attained in highest
degree only from trust in God. The
most important matter | have re-
served to the last. What the world
wants is character. The one posses
sing this is sure Of attaining the best
and highest things of life
.