The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1899-02-09
SALTWATER MINNESOTA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY T

scorn at all whose chief pride and
glory lies in their submission to the
tyranny of the ancients. He cares less
for what has been than what may be.
His triumphs. his masterpieces, his
heroes, his golden age, are all in the
future. He walks forward with his
face to the front, not backward, with
his face to the past. When Captain
Eads proposed to build a steel arch
over the turbulent Mississippi with
clear span of $40 feet, the timid wor-
shippers of the past held up their hands
in protest that there was no precedent
for an arch of such great length. To
this unworthy opposition it was said
proudly in reply, "The engineer makes
precedents, others follow Them"
There is another aspect of the effects
of our modern liberal technical train
which is somewhat new. In that grace
full liberal culture, which we all SO
much prize, and which we more or less
unconsciously set up as standard for
others, we learned how the imagina-
tive Greeks, made Gods and demi gods
to account for wonderful things. Be-
ings with superhuman strength and
skill, turned the courses of rivers;
built impregnable walls; bore messages
faster than the wind, and subdued
monsters; drained marshes and warded
off disease. Not to know these things
is now held to be wanting in the very
elements of liberal education. In
these modern days, men have done all
these things ndemoTe; in faes and not
in fancy and yet to know these modern
heroes, men accomplished, but in no
way superhuman who have dethroned
the gods and put demi gods to blush,
is held to be not liberal, and such
knowledge exposes one to the suspi.
cion of being too familiar with the
swarthy fellows who handle machinery
and despise the ancients.
Men are now struck dead by artif-
cial lightning, while the thunderbolts
of JOve are turned harmlessly into the
earth by a Franklin, and the energy of
which thunderbolts are made and har-
messed to car or mill by an Adams
or a Hopkinson or an Edison, and
made to serve the peaceful ends of
commerce and industry. The dreadful
energy of Maxim gun or dynamite
cannon is far more destructive than the
twanglng of Appollo's silver bow and
his whole quiver of arrows. The skill
of an Eads which turns the current of
the mighty Mississippi and forces it
to maintain a new deep channel into
the sea dwarfs into insignifcance the
labOrs of a Hercules. The ingenuity
of Morse and Field sends messages
to the antipodes in less time than Mer-
curry needed in binding on his sandals.
The roar of Mars could be heard by
whole armies, now the whisper of q
Bush is heard a thousand miles.
1t is now the engineer who turns
away the destroying monster, redeems
the waste places, brings health, peace
and security where there was pesti-
lence and death.
Shall not an accurate knowledge of
the exploits and the rational methods
of these modern times and heroes be
held to be an essential part of liberal
as we'll as technical education?
We all believe in culture-the word
is much abused, but there is culture
and culture. Whatever broadens ones
intellectual grasp, extends his mental
vision, purifes his mental taste, lifts
him away from individuals to generals
builds rational ideals, is an aid to cul-
ture and is liberal. No longer should
it be true anywhere as is according to
Emperor William it is now true in
Germany that they have an overpro-
duction of what is called over cultivat-
ed men, who instead of being an ele.
ment of strength to the State are .
sou.ce of weakness, being untitled for
life and it's problems. The college
student should have free access to all
subjects literally taught, which he may
choose according to the quality Of his
mind or the prompting Of his nature.
w. II. w.