The Portland daily press., 1899-06-17
The Higher Education
and the National Life.
Mayor Robinson Highly Com
pliments Miss Taylor.

Il
sishocl building. The exercises we're rem
dsred extremely enjoyable by the scholar.
~ aud thoughtful address Of DR.. Nathan
iei Butler OF Colby college, the singing of
( the Haydn quartette and the appropriate
rem arks OF His Honor, Mayor Frank W.
Robinson in presenting the diplomas.
| Nh. W. II. Brownson of the school
toarti, presided. and,on the platform be-
sfsies the young lady graduates aud the
PERSONS above named. were the Rev. MI.
freeman, Messrs. Hutchinson, and Hes
eltine aud DIR. Foster Of the school board,
and Superintendent Of Schools Lord. The
graduating class were all, dressed in
white, and though no attempt was made
ae display the entire exercises were OF a
most pleasing character.
After selection by the quaxtette, Rev,
Mr.. FREEMAN offered prayer, and Mrs.
Florenos knight Palmer then sang a
solo.
Mr.. Brownson introduced DR.. Butlrr to
the large audience. He spoke for over an
hour in that intensely Interesting manner
which has won for this man reputation
which exbsnds far beyond the confines Of
this state DR.. Buffers subject last eve
ming was 1.-THE Higher Education and the
National Life. He began by telling OF q
famous picture which represents saint
who lies at the point of death as the re-
suit of self denial aad self torture While
the subject of this picture is interesting,
it carries with it nothingEwhich we can
admire. We of the nineteenth century
do not believe. as did the Christians of
a Few hundred years [ago. that we can
please God by wearing Iohains, by starv.
ing ourselves or Withdrawing from the
world to convent cell. God made the
world for us and we feel as IL we had a
right to enjoy IL to the utmost II is
only by making the most of ourselves
that we can enjoy life TO the utmost and
to make the most of ourselves is educa-
tion. Education means that man has
developed a retentive memory keen per.
ception, bodily vigor, high courage and
learned to kold his passions In check. The
man who has made the most Of himself
holds the key to the storehouse contain
ing all the secrets of life. The uneducated
man finds a desert barren, while the edu-
Gated man takes from 1t sustenance and
riches. 1t is not question of opportu-
mites, but of method. Education Is,
thsn. a systematic method of making the
most of ourselves.
Education does seek primarily to give
20 child information or MI the mind
with facts. 1t prepares man to receive
these. The schools train a man for COL
| lege, the college trains him for the uni
versity. DIR. Butler then pointed out the
difference between q college and an
university, which, he said, Americans
are but beginning to regard Men lay
the foundation in college and go to the
universities to complete the training in
! some special line of work. In colleges all
are undergraduates; in universities they
, are graduates. In the university they re-
! eeive special instruction to fit them as in
J vestigators or as practitioners. To the
university "a man should 60 with dis
: eiplined mind, body under complete
control and q keen perception. ALI OF
this must be accomplished by the college.
Il An educated man has a sharp. keen
l axe. the uneducated man dull axe.
The university or technical school teaches
!, the man with the sharp axe how to use
: 1t most effectively. By education in the
school is meant the training OF the pupil
| to be alert and alive to all things, to
develop individuality rnd the sense Of
i personal power The technical schools
! make the most of these things and profits
: by them. The value of an education
! then, is not what a man has learned, but
! what its requirement enables him to
learn. The teacher should not look upon
{ the child as a receptacle to be crowded
. full Of facts. The teacher must regard
the physical, social, mental and spiritual
training of the child. The time was
r when the only requirement was that the
pupil should get the lesson well and
recite it glibiy. Now these four things
must be looked after IL education is to
, be success. As to the physical training
! DR.. Butler pointed out the difference be.
/ tween the college student of 90 years age
J. and the student of today. The student
{ of 20 years ago was sort of outlaw, q
man who was crammed with facts. hut
: had little else. Today the gymnasium
and the playground is encouraged. Not
because we want the student to have
more fun, but because we want to de-
velop his body. The result 10 that hs
I obtains steady nerve, hand and eye,
Z has self-posssssion and courage DIR.
: Butler said that the physical training In
4 college has given a new outlet to til.
i activities Of youth and has rendered haz
U ing and the barbarous practices once III
= vogue. obsolete. 1t results also In better
l. health. better scholarship. manhood
aud morals