The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-27
Diplomas Awarded to
the Graduates at
Palo Alto.
Professor jenkins Delivers
the Commencement
Address.
Parting Words of Advice From
Presid lent Jordan to the
Class of '97.

STANFORD UNIVERSITY. CAL, May
26.-The graduation exercises took place
in Encina gymnasium this morning
After prayer Professor Jenkins delivered
the commencement address, his subject
being The Passing of Plato" The
speaker dwelt upon the stupendous
changes wrought in the material life OF
the civilized races by the progress OF
modern science, and in closing said:
When we come TO consider the vastness of
well-ordered real knowledge at the present
time, the intensity OF intellectual activity,
The great NUMBER OF important problems
thrust upon US, the crowds of errors well
as the N ultitudes of truths that crowd upon
our judgment, and the fierce competition on
every hand, requiring the best equipment in
modern knowledge and method, there is the
most urgent reason that our educational sys-
TEN be cleared OF every thing that lnterferes
with its cleanest action.
The elementary system needs no longer the
endless patching up of its motley mixture,
the strange ult of necessity, empiricism
and accident II has had enough of the fanci-
Jul apologies OF the philosophers for It's exist
enee, ana of mystic pictures of its fancied
relations to an imagined soul. 1t needs to be
implicitly reorganlzed from the foundation
and put in relation to the life of to- day.
AS Tor our higher schools, the universities,
they have become freer TO react to the times.
They are every year becoming less under The
influence of the inane and Inactive scholastic
ism which made the most narrow OF defni-
tons OF culture and set her up as goddess
and established about her puerile ritual and
a most bigoted hierarchy. First in Germany
and shen in America the university broke
away, or is breaking away from these ponds
The university is no longer 10 be simply the
conservAtor OF the past 1t should be the
leader and stimulus of the present and the
prophet OF. the future Every phase of intel
lectual activity should have It's place in the
university, where Will be gathered its litera-
ture, where may be collected its facts and
where Will be grouped masters in its scie nee,
who stand ready 10 impRrI It's spirit anc drill
IN its methods. Throughout the whole will
prevail thoroughly the scientific spirIE and
method, and that complete freedom in choice
OF subjects and career absolutely necessary 10
strongest development.
Our own university in America most nearly
approaches III spirit such an ideal and If sucn
life here is not universal il is at least pos
sible to all, and many there be who live with
enthusiasm up to this possibility. l congrstu-
late you that during your educational career
you have had the possibility OF breathing with
freedom something OF the spirit OF the times
May you that go and you that remain windy
appreciate this too rare a privilege, ana cuI-
tlvate and guard most jealously this spirit
May II become an instinct with US. May We
be quick to resent and ever ardent to oppose
any faint OF the old regime which may seek
admission among US, and thus threaten our
freedom and undermine our Intellectual nj an
hood.
Miss Palmer, as an alumni representa-
tive, repeated her address delivered yes
terday at the associations annual meet
Ing. The diplomas were then presented
TO the graduates by DR.. Jordan. The
exercises were concluded with an address
TO the students by DR.. Jordan. His sub
Ject was the Wholesome World" His
closing words were:
generous education has opened for you q
thousand doors TO success-a thous and more
10 failure. It Is your part 10 choose. To be
educated Is dangerous thing. The RESPONSE
bllty for choice is intensified a thousand
fold. But to be educated Alright is to be fear
less OF danger. 1t is TO be prepared Tor the
Conquest OF danger.
Character Is built up by doing the best you
know. Effectiveness consists in doing the best
In ing that any one can know. Effectiveness
in this sense Is more than character. 1t is the
second power of character. It is virtue
wrought Into action. An ignorant man or a
foolish one may be good enough in a neg atiye
way, but he cannot be very helpful. The best
he knows is not the real best. But as educated
men and women we have the night 10 expect
the real best of you.
The enlightened conscience will resist all
forms OF contamination. All that Injuries me
is bad, and equally bad is ali that is harmful
10 others. All that weakens or destroys body,
mlnd or character must come under its Con-
domination. We expect you as apostles OF the
higher education to stand against wrong, re-
slsting not only the positive vices and crimes,
but also the suDIler evils of dilute virtue and
habby morality. You viii find among the in
fuences for evil the vast inertia of Incidence
nnd lethargy. Weak books that destroy The
mind may be as dangerous vice that eats up
The soul or crime that deforms the body.
Not ali that is wrong wears the visible livery
of the devil. The spirit OF evil has all times
and all places for its activities. But of all the
delusions with which the devil cheats the soul
OF man, the desire to get some thing for moth
ing is the most wides preEd aud the most dan
gerous. The "deadhead' is the DEVILS sign
manual with which he brands his own his
sheep as well as his goats. There is no lasting
JOY without its cost of effort, no privileges
without responsibility.
The nope OF somehow getting that which we
have not earned, whether in power or privi-
lege or enjoyment, is the chief source of hu-
man misery. Happiness comes from striving,
doing, loving, achieving, conquerfng-always
something positive and lorceiu.. 1t cannot be
found IN idleness. The pleasures of debauch-
Each JOY that comes through drugs or stimu-
lants Is charged against US TO be paid In mis-
cry. The pleas ures of dreaming are the Joys
OF foos. Only through realities come the
pleasures that last.
"'Tis heaven alone that is given away" All
in LIE worth having has its price. 1t must be
paid Tor in effort, in tears, in prayers: and can
tain no bargain-counter Their fsyors are
never marked down-never going at a sacrl-
flee. Their prices are always the highest but
they always give full measure. They yield the
best and the best is their demand.
If you nave learned this lesson and have
wrought it into your lives yours is indeed the
spirit of the higher education. To pay your
without rendering its equivalent, is TO do your
share in the work OF the universe. Your life
shall make the world wholesome.