The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-06-22
The The Barnwell People.
Largest Circulation in the County
"THE SCHOLAR IN PRACTICAL
LIFE"

The following is full synopsis Of
the annual address before the literary
societies of Furman University, which
was delivered by President Henry s..
Hartzog, of Clemson College, on the
evening of June 18th.
Ladies and Gentlemen / admit
that there is much truth in tho popu-
lar estimate of the self-made man, but
must protest against the narrow lmi-
tations of the definitions usually given.
Ordinarily we think of the sclf-made
man as one who has not had the advan.
tages of a college education. There arc
nlustrious examples Of that type, like
Franklin and Lincoln. BE it remem
bered, however, that there are self.
made men in the college rs we'll as out
of the college.
Every college graduate of worth to
the word is self-made man. The
college is but means to an end it is
not a hopper to turn out pure meal
from all sorts of grain. The college
does not keep in stock an assortment
Of hearts and brains for students who
arc deficient in character and capacity.
An eagle setting Oh goose egg cannot
hatch out an eagle. Put fool in the
college incubator, warm him with the
sympathetic glow of cultured profess
sors, and you will hatch out q fool.
A college is place of systcmatizcd
opportunity. The self-madc man out
of college make marvellous use of linn
tied opportunities. The self-madc man
in college makes use of unlimited op-
portunites. Both cross the river
the one swims, and the other rides in
boat.
If it be true that sclf-madc men arc
found in the shades Of the college
campus as well as in the Offices OF busy
trade, the frown of the world must
rest upon the literary pedant, and very
justly. The pedant ls the literary
miscr. He stagnates because he re-
ceives and does not give out. HIS
superannuatcd ideas are covered with
the cobwebs of antiquity. His energy
is expended in vain endeavor to pre-.
vent the introduction Of new tangled
Inventions. The pcdant is repud:atcd
by the public. The world wants
knowledge that can walk. 1t hasn'
time to daily with the scholar in the
trundle bed. 1t wants knowledge tha
will bless as well as adorn humanity.
The scholar should be built ant
shaped for practical life. l DO no
mean that he must sacrifice profcs
sional aims for industrial interests.
mean that whatever vocation, avoca
ton, or vacation he should have, hi
knowledge should be applied in a prat
tical way for the bcttcrment of mar
kind. His theories should be proicctc
into practice. Curtis has well sal
that the scholar is first Of all publ
conscience. l echo that scntimcn
Principles are few but the manifest
tions are infinite. 1t requires vel
often WIDE horizon Of thought to 81
the underlying principles Of cour>
of action. This is the recognized fun
tion of the scholar. The scholar is
monitor for the public conscience
Sometimes party zeal may cause tn
public to put policy before honesty
but in the long run the right will pro
vail if the scholar is true to his dutic
and to his right.
Upon the shoulder of every scholn
rests a sacred responsibility. a fra
grant influence is ditfuscd from hi
diploma. That diploma is an escutch
con on which is emblazoned the fac
that the scholar belongs to the arlstOc
racy of brain and characteristic onl,
aristocracy worth belonging to. 1t is
q sincere and selfish accommodation
because each professor when signing il
had his own reputation at stake. a
young man should be content with
nothing less than full diploma. a
man who begins the voyage of life
with diploma stands out like war
ship with machinery ovcrhaulcd, bunk
ers full Of coal, with good chart and
pilot and with magazine full Of cart
ridges.
Launched into practical life the
graduate has adapted himself to new
conditions. The logic of circumstances
compels him to divide his time between
his clients and books, Sometimes III
the skirmish for biscuits he forgcts
books and degcne neratcs into scramble
for dirt and dollars. 1t is between the
Scylla of biscuits and Charybdis of
books that the practical man must sail.
Hc comes into close touch with the
practical side Of life. He becomes to
that extent public man.
Let us pause for definition of pub
lie men and public life. 1 do not
mean the nero politician. Public
safety does not demand that every col
lege graduate shall strike trail for the
marble halls of Washington.
Nor 40 mean by public life that
the graduates should take up ono of
the socallcd professions.-law, medi.
cine, teaching, preaching.
BY public men I moan man VIII
take lively and intelligent interest III
matters that concern the public good
Happy Is that community that has one
wide-awake, energetic man who Is will
ing to take the initiative in every en-
. terprise that tends to elevate the pco
pie and improve the commonwealth.
Learning 10 an arsenal stocked will
dangerous weapons. The studen