The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1899-06-10
no THE CLASS OF '99.
Capt. Hoffman Delivers Annual
Address to University
Graduates

Address to University
Graduates.
Norman, June 10 The closing ex-
ercises OF the University q Oklahoma
Yesterday were of marked interest
The annual address was delivered by
Can't Roy Hoffman. The address fol-
lows
TO the layman there Is something Of
mystery and suspicion surrounding the
production OF college graduate ON a
dav fixed we are invited hither Amid
music and flowers and prayer n the
years spring g-time. We receive back again
thee whom our institutions of Learning
have taken and nutured and trained TO
meet the trials Of life. We see tho paw
material enter and come out fabric finer
than that which saladin cleft or Penelope
spun and richer far than royal Goth Of
gold We don't quite understand.
From the tranquil cloisters oi colleges
and universities the graduate come INTO
world OF sordld and restless anxiety.
From dim recessea they emerge. In the
fual tide Of youth, little white. perhaps
pale, you OF the gentIer sex, with the
paleness of a procelain vase that burns
from light within--to join In the scran-
BILE for place and power.
They bring to their allotted hfe-work en-
ergy with direction, an aptitude classi-
fed. backed with a determination that gen
erany commands success Ana an the
race for the worlds prize such quail
ties Qeave unsklled competitors at the
post
A PTENOMINON.
a few days ago the newspapers cXtcnsi-
vely quoted an interview with a man
wealthy and famous in two hcmispheres.
deploring the modern tendency towards
college education as time wasted and en-
ergy destroyed. He is an eminently sue
cessful man. His Is not a selfish success,
for his charities have been dissursed with
a lavish hand He probably has the traits
that would win success anywhere. lie Is
the phenomenon rather than the natural
result Of our social system. As the d.a-
mond is more brilliant with its facets cut
and polished, so we can not but specu-
late how much higher would have heaped
this mans wealth. how much fuller the
measure of his hoDors. had iis youth
"a
mig Of the problem he was practically to
solve
Fortune is a fckle jade. Her caparice
are governed by no laws. With rad ant
brow and "hair Blown back like fam"
she appears a1hwart the horizon and beck
sons. and we follow-over the precipice, or
mounting to the throne of kings
GENIUS is UNEXPLAINED
Colleges can not produce OF explain gen
lus They can give us chart and compass
to the fixed and steady fmament but now
and then "A shooting star a blazing ne-
teor, leaps an bounds violates all known
rules, ana the learning and philosophy of
the schools must strive in vain To Ind
it's origin. produce likeness or bind its
action with a law II IS the voice of th
iIimitoble deep calling unto deep, and
the pedantlc sophisiry Of books and writ
ers codes. though a have knees Of brass,
must down and wors -.
ALL SEEK KNOWLEDGE.
We are, am of US, seekers after know
ledge 1t IS desired for the power that i
brings-for the wealth. ana nouors attend
ant in is train-for the sceptre That II
sways in the empires of the earth. Know
ledge-the souls thirst for So must b'
sIaked, even though wisdom singer bear
ing laden breast" or come not at all
We All want place and name. We wisi
our voices TO Doe audible. even If tn'
next moment they be walled in and rooted
over by the derisive silence Of eternity
But more than that knowledge ls susten.
ance and strength TO the man on woma
of whatever station whether of Imperial
degree or sordid with the common dust
OF life II g. the angel that hath wrough
bv the side Of labor IN the holds thai
enters the humble home and sits viii
conaentment at the nreside; that bear
the yoke of reyerses, takes from poverty
its sting. and brings sweet charm int
the life OF the lowlest
knowledge Is a good hing In any eau
ling. remember one of those freak
known as mind readera once came 70 ou
school Among other metaphysicaa trap
eze performances he proposed that whe
the necromatic ut was ON he would ans
wer any question asked him lie threN
himself into a trance and did do com
very curious things But one OF the boy
In the geometry Sass asked MIN wher
the line OF the asymptote II extende
would meet its curves. and the mediur
collapsed The performance was over 10
that evening. A black art artist had gon
, out OF the exhibition business in tha
= school
with all the learning schools can CIV
! us what = lot OF mistakes We MAX
b poor. stammerng, misbehaving creature
( the best of ms are We deviate from ~
3 old paths only 10 reach the old errors 4
J new roads. our greatest hopes, our higl
a est aims CLEAN and fam 20 fragmen
5 like the gossner OF a summer nigh
b with Ceasar's ashes, Hamlet tells us, Il
urchins make dirt pies and mthy Z
besmear their countenances
Z A ROYAL VISTA PREsENTED
Q Life presents a royal vista TO tho grad
= nung class. How many find. aLas. IN
their fine image with head OF gold and fe
OF clay. What anguish may come whi'
nothing On the pharmacy OF books n
nor the mendicamenta Of knowledge C..
PerpleXed by doubts harrassed by feai
staggering under a load may oe, whi'
seems to great 10 bear, the spirit In
langtiish viii cry out Tor a return of Al
; ihappy graduation time, whence Il pas
a "a with an unconscious step which new
. could retrace its way into the hard woI
: OF laborious men.
= This class Of 80 In entering upon d
, threatre OF IT'S activities at a most fave
able time. Never before now IN the h
Il tory Of the world has there been such q
portunlties IN science, art. letters, prof
sional or business NE BralDes have
higher quotation and a more active ms
ket today than az any time IN the me
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