Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-05-25
WASHINGTON C., TUESDAY 25, 1se7-FoURTEEN PAGES
WAYLAND SEMINARY CLASS
Graduating Exercises of Academic Depart
ment Held Last Evening.
Prof. George n. Hovey Delivers an
Address and Presents the Diplomas
Names of the Graduates.

The commencement exercises of the
academic department of Wayland Semi
nary took place last evening at the Yer
mont Avenue Baptist Church.
The program comprised orations by the
several members of the graduating class.
as follows: Socrates in History" John
Henry Page of Ivanhoe, Va; Manhood in
the Ranks" William Edward Robinson of
Montague, Va; Athletics, Their Use and
Their Abuse Walter Thomas Foreman of
Easton. Nd; incentives to Higher Educa-
ton for Women" Miss Annie Courtney
Johnson of Millwood Va; "A Plea for Re-
stricted Immigration" Edward Emmanuel
Bonner of Washington. Ca; 1.-The Example
of Greece in the Cretan Troubles" Samuel
Howard Archer of Petersburg, Va. The
exercises were interspersed with music by
an orchestra.
Prof. Hovey's Address.
The address to the graduating class was
delivered by the president-elect, Prof.
George Rice Hovey. After paying a high
compliment to the ability, influence and
many good qualities of DIR. King, the re-
firing president of the academic depart
ment, Prof. Hovey said in part:
THE education which you have entered
upon is called a liberal education. That
word liberal originally meant adapted to
freemen, suitable for men with the duties
Of citizenship, who need a broad outlook
on affairs and life. The slave needed to
see and understand only his masters gar
den, his horses or his baths or business.
The citizen must also have some knowledge
of the world
To-day the phrase liberal education has
a similar meaning. 1t is contrasted with
elementary education, which all need, even
to COOK or sew, to care for a garden or to
paint house. The man or woman who
cannot read and write and figure cannot
do well these simplest things. But it is an
elementary, not liberal, education that
fits one for such work.
1T is contrasted, too, with the profess
sional or technical education, which pre-
pares man for some particular occupa-
ton, requiring unusual skill. Professional
educa ton makes a man specialist in this
great world. 1t sets a limited horizon to
his ordinary field of vision 1t turns his
thoughts and interests into certain re-
stricted channels. With only a professional
training in addition to an elementary the
man or woman is in danger of becoming
narrow. prejudiced. untouched by many of
the best things in the world and unblessed
by them.
BrOadens the Mind.
THE liberal education, on the other
hand. as the name suggests, is one which
broadens and liberates the mind The
mind of many a man is imprisoned within
a very narrow range of ideas. 1t never
breaks through the crust of few papers,
a few political leaders and a few miles or
hundreds of miles Of territory.
Some of the great evils in the country
today are manifestations Of this very
spirit of narrowness-race prejudice in
tense craftsmanship and sectionaIism In
thousand other forms the Same spiri: man
1fests itself. cramping and embittering life
binding men and women to that which is
most helpful sweetest, best. A liberal edu-
cation is intended to free one from such
limitations.
The CrOwning Thought.
The browning thought in regard to a
liberal education Is that it enlarges life
and gives mastery over mental powers. not
primarily for personal ends, but for the
good of the community By derivation a
liberal education, as we have seen, is one
that Is adapted to a freeman, a citizen.
with his relations to public affairs. Col
leges are beginning to feel the necessity
OF laying emphasis on the duty of the edu-
Gated to society. Students of social science
are insisting that the people are of far
more Importance than the Individual, and
that the wealth and the learning of the
few must be used with reference to the
welfare of the many, or else our civiliza-
ton is doomed. A liberal education must
free our powers from selfish use, and must
teach us to employ them for the good Of
men.
Debtor to All Men.
Il congratulate you that you have been
In a school where this ideal prevails;
where, before you began academic studies,
you had learned that, like Paul. you were
debtor to Jew and Greek. to all men. How
much greater debtor will you be to the
community when a complete liberal edu-
cation has enlarged your minds and SYM
pathies. and developed your powers. l am
sure you did not need to learn from sociolo-
gists the necessity Of living for others. for
you have acquired something of your
Masters spirit: L am not to be ministered
unto, but to minister
But you have now completed the first
step in liberal education. You must not
forget that this fact increases your obliga-
ton to rise far above all narrowness and
prejudice. You must recognize the good
and true, wherever found: you must be in
sympathy with every noble cause or man;
you, above all men and women, must con-
secrate your disciplined powers to the
service Of others. 1t means labor If you
would improve conditions; 1t means brav-
cry If you would Withstand prejudice; 1t
means self-depial if you would serve
Obligation to Society.
"Only by a life of constant labor and
bravery and self denial for others can you
meet your obligations to society. and live
a life at all worthy Of the Christian faith
you all profess, and of the liberal educa-
ton which you have entered upon.
And now In behalf OF the faculty.
take pleasure in presenting to you these
certificates of the fact that you have sat
isfactorily completed the course of study
in the academic department of Wayiand
Seminary. May they be to you not SO
much the evidence of a past achievement
as call to further study and q reminder
Of your greater responsibilities to your