Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-07-02

to discover and compes one to recognise
truth. whatever be the wants of the
applicant the training IS the same. bat it
may be acc 'mpanied by as great a
variety of tru lis as there are applicants.
This training goes under the name Of a
| liberal education because it makes its
subjects liberal minded as opposed to
narrow minded a liberal minded per
son Is susceptible to arguments and i'm
medidtelY recognises and acknowledges
the truths established Ivy argument. A
narrow minded person is not susceptible
to argument and is persistent in cling
| ing to untruths in the face of contra
dictOry facts.
| Assuming this view to be correct. we
can Judge of the efficiency Of our educa-
tional institutions by considering the
amount of liberal mindedness in the
| people. This may be perhaps best done
by examining the religion of the people,
the government of the people, and the
people themselves.
The speaker discussed these points
somewhat at length and in conclusion
said
LOOK where we may, at the people, at
their habits, at their customs or at their
institutions, we must be impressed by
the latent possibilities to be set free by a
small development of liberal mindedness.
How much greater efficiency of personal
effort could be attained How much
friction OF ordinary existence could be
avoided The question immediately bres-
ents itself, cannot it be ACCOMPLISHED
AS we compare the mental condition of
the college graduate with that of the en-
tering freshman we cannot but marvel at
what has been accomplished In four
years including holidays and va
cations. Much more must we marvel at
the effects of the professional schoOl
training. These Institutions are certain
~ fairly efficient. But the persons who
come under their tutelage are the selected
few, the leaders of the people leaders
because of this tutelage. To get at the
people we must look to the primary
schools. Thanks to legislation compul
sorry education in many states is an &C
complshed fact. But in spite of the ex-
stence of the laws, great mass of the
q people stops its education before it
E reaches the upper limit of the primary
stage. Here. then, is the field for action
: Here Is where the greatest pains should
be taken, not only to educate but to in
terest ard arouse thirst for further
truths. But here is where the least ef-
ticient work is done. In the BROOKLYN
schools there are primary classes which
= are conducted by young ladies of no
special fitness for their positions, who
are not Interested in their work, who do
: not intend to teach for more than year
or two, and whose only interest in edu-
cation in the pin-mOney which gees I'M
der the name of a salary. In nearly all
. the public schools of the country, which
are supported by moneys collected in
the form of taxes from the people, the
mass of the money is spent in educating
the lew, while the many are placed in
A the hands of incompetent and illy-paid
o instructors This is not right or Just d.
Yet we cannot hope for relief until the
y salaries of these positions are raised to
such an extent as to entlce fair minded
y broad-minded and undetermined per
4 sons to occupy them-persons who can
. look with delight upon the minds of our
q children which are free from the stains
. of prejudice and superstition and can
y, rejoice in the field of unbounded useful
= ness and efficient activity.
l. The poet, j. c. Harvey, 81. of New
= \ ork, could not come, but sent a poem,
entitled The Lessons of the Years, ''
n which Rev. c. l.. Leonard read Henry
d Sanger Snow of Brooklyn was made an
> honorary member of the alumni assOcia-
!, ton on the nomination of Prof. Sheldon
e Announcements By Col. +. NJ. Chapman,
If the marshal, brought the exercises to
,r an end
. The Phi Beta Kappa society held its
V annual meeting in the church lecture
5 room at the close of the alumni celebra-
n ton. Officers for the ensuing year were
a chosen as follows: President, Prof. W
$ W. Eaton; vice-p president, Prof. j. w
i Abernethy of Brooklyn; s. cretary, Prof
e {. b. Wright; treasurer, Principal p. G
j. IIoyt.
IS The alumni dinner was served at the
it Addison House at o'clock Vice-PI esi
a. dent Howe presided over the after-dinuel
Il exercises and called up President Brain
Is rrd, Rev. r. j. II. Myers, ~. of Chazy
y. y; Prof. j. W. Abernethy. IS, OF
ct Brooklyn, y. Y; Prof. Samuel sheldon
g 50, of Brooklyn, n. y; Hon. j. W
t. Stewart, 'lG, of Middebury, and others
IN The speakers all had something of inter
:. est to say of the college and of coleg,
u, life.
ut THE PRIZE SPEAKING.
:. The speaking for the Parker and Mer
le rill prizes on Tuesday evening at tht
ID congregational church brought out al
I'd audience bigger than the building would
le comfortably hold Four members of the
in freshman class cOntended for the two
L. Parker prizes of S2l and SIP. and eight
as sophomOres for the four Merrill prizes O
$50, S25, $50 and SD. Prof. Wrigh
Id presided. Relies orchestra of RutanC
al provided the music. This was the pro
w gramme;
n PARKER CONTEST.
he Music
IL l. The Bell of ST. John. inou
20 samuel Booth Boi-tord
- > TOus~atnt L'OuVcrture PhiYips
= Guy BertrUm Horton
eT 3. The Unknown Speaker. AH0u
" William Anderson James.
=, l. The Maiden Martyr. 4nOH
Theodore HapgOod MuuIOc.
II, MERRILL CONTEST.