The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1900-08-02
JOHN TEMPLE GRAVES.

cred the Literary Address before
the Phi Delta and Ciceronian
Literary Societies of Mercer Uni
versity. On his return to his
home, he published in the Atlanta
Journal the following impressions
of the college:
A further observation of Mercer
University during its commence
ment exercises strengthens my
opinion that it is one of the really
great colleges of the country.
| A great newspaper like the
Journal cannot too often COM
mend an institution that illus
trates the noblest ideas of higher
education, and is constantly en-
richlng the citizenship of the state
with strong, able and earnest men.
The students of this great college
are indeed it's monuments.
The exceptional merit Of Mercer
University does not rest in it's
equipment, for in that line it is
surpassed by score of colleges in
the south. 1t is not in the pile of
its endowment, for that is scant
enough to astonish those who
know the influences behind it. 1t
Is not in any greater scholarship
or learning among it's faculty, for
its professors, while equal to the
oest, are not superior to many men
i'll other Institutions. 1t cannot
be in any difference in the calibre
or hometralning Of its students,
for they are mostly Georgia boys,
sprung from the same soil and the
same conditions which surround
Georgia youth everywhere.
But the notable and admirable
excellence of this Macon school is
in the magnificent spirit that pre-
walls everywhere among the stu
dent body. | have never seen
anything superior to it in any
American college, north or south.
1t is the destinal glory. of the col
lege, and is worth more than
equipment or endowment or any
tangible possession.
| ! scarcely know how to describe
it, and certainly do not under
stand it's origin CT its steady con-
tinuance through so many years.
Let me skim the surface of it by
saying that the most fashionable
and popular and permanent en-
thusiasm of Mercer University is
mental development! A N 10 n g
some 225 young men, with good
red blood in their veins, fond of
athletics, with high enthusiasm
for Legitimate sport, and proven
excellence i'll the American games,
with due regard for society, and
with not trace of Miss Nancy
ism" in their manly lives, it is
yet true that the one idea which
dominates every class and every
| student is the pre-eminent ambi-
ton to prepare themselves glori-
ously for usefulnessness and sue
cess in the battle of life.
| never saw such devotion in a
student body to it's alma mater.
| never saw so much of genuine
personal loyalty among students
to the professors who train them,
or such hearty sympathy between
students and professors. Those
Mercer boys actually make DR..
| Pollock the confidant in their love
affairs, and go to him freely with
| the most private details of their
lives. They respect him abso-
lutely and love him devotedly, and
he rules them by the high appeal
to honor, to gratitude and to their
lnOblest interests.
| | do not know to when this
condition is due, whether the
president or to the faculty, to sew
eral students or to all the students /:
but | do know that the resultant
of these conditions is an atmos-
phere of mental vitality, keen
ness of intellectual life, spirit of
philosophy, a purposefulness, an
ambition, fine spirit of harmony,
and a vigor effective to success
which reflects surprising credit
upon its Inspiration wherever it
lies, and which is simply thrilling
with promise to the future.
There has not been an intellec-
tual event in the student life of
Georgia within these three years
in which this college has not
borne leading and glorious part,
and the college is today a stand
ard manufacturer Of character and
high equipment for the service of
the state.
The great and wealthy Baptist
church has nothing nobler and
worthier under the shadow of It's
name than Mercer University, and