The Meeker herald., 1898-08-13
THE COLLEGE GRADUATE.


The sweet girl graduate and the COL
lexe honor man are again in evidence
in all their glory. but they have to be
content with only secondary place in
the public interests this year. The all
engrossing subject of war has thrown
them into temporary eclipse. This is
rather hard, too, since most Of these
graduates now stand upon a pinnacle
of prominence which will never be
reached again by them after they de-
scend to the dead level Of the great
seething world in which the rest Of
their lives must be passed. The only
really fortunate students are those few
who have enlisted and are able to come
In their uniforms to be graduated
with their classes. These are the he
roes of the hour. The valedictorian
and the prize winner are common peo-
pie compared with these fortunstes.
It is not fair that all the glory should
go to those few who have been able to
don uniforms and go to. the front. Al
nations strength lies with the sturdy
and Industrious patriots who stay at
home and do their duty there quite as
much as with those who 90 20 battle
Those young men who have found 1t
to be- their duty to complete their col
lege work and enter business or pro-
fessional lines In which they can re-
pay the debts incurred in getting their
education may serve their country NO
less than the other brave fellows who
have enlisted. The girls and young
women now about to receive their
diplomas from high schools and col
leges. In so far as these parchments
are testimonials to their fitness for TAX
ing useful places in the nations homes
and offices and schoolrooms. deserve
all the transient glory that can be shed
upon their commencement exercises.
For the moment, however, action and
not learning is in the ascendant. Brave
deeds have always counted for more
than wise words in the worlds history,
and 1t is not strange that book lore
is for the time cast into the shade. Both
have their places; In fact. learning
and thought are the forerunners OF
great deeds. II Lieut.. Hobson had not
been a thorough student and . skilled
mechanic he could never have con-
ceived or executed the gallant deed
that will perpetuate his name. II Ad-
miral Dewey had not had third Of
century of training he could never have
won SO brilliant a victory at Manila.
II our American sailors were not men
of Intelligence and mechanical skill
he's hol hotr
great battleships as the Spaniards
have been. Thus, though the glorious
deeds are AZ to eclipse the years of
humdrum schooling as the flower
eclipses the bud, the school years and
the bud are none the less valuable for
all that
It is necessary to strike . balance
once In q while between thought and
action. This il what the country is
doing Just now. We had drtfted into
state whsre almnst allathe energies
OF the nation were being turnsd Inward.
Such stats 10 mot permanently health
| full, and reaction was bound to come,
some time. Like the reaction against
interpretive novels, seen In the recent
vogue Of swashbuckling romancss. the
present martial spirit Of the nation IL
natural and healthful. For the moment
1t may be little disconcerting TO the
students and graduates who and them
selves robbed Of the public eclat which
they had a right to expect, but their
| turn will come later In the enlarged op-
portunities that will belong to them as
! citizens in an enlarged and glorined ma
ton.
Thsn give the college graduate all
the honor that can be spared from tho
brave boys at the front. and tell him
that his book lore is of use only in 20
far as it can be made to blossom
! henceforth into deeds. Whether the
deeds be martial ones. or commercial
or professional, they may BE- equally
patriotic and honorable. But the spe-
cial need of glory will still be reserved
for the soldier, and It isS&ell that It 10
30. It will be sorry day for the nation
when its pulses fail to thrill to the
sound of the martial bugle.-Hx.
Mrs. Grace Espey Patton Cowles,
state superintendent of public instruc-
ton, Is touring the state addressing
the teachers ut the various district
normal Institutes, of which there are
thirteen In progress.
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