The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-30
PRESIDENT VANN
AT WAKE FOREST
The True Functions of a
College Outlined.
TO EDUCATE AND UPLlFT
Development of Soul, Brain and Body
the Aim.
TEACH THE TRUTH FOR TRUTH IS HOLY
Being is More Than Doing. Mans High Posi-
ton in Gods Universe. What Wake
Forest Has Done. TheFulure
aA.L n
Aglesm With Promise.
Especial to News and Observer)

Wake Forest, N. c., May 2S.-Dr. r
T. Vann measured well up to his usual
standard of excellence tonight in his
address before the alumni association
in the Wingate Memorial Hall.
A large crowd greeted the speaker
with enthusiastic applause as he stepp-
ed upon the rostrum, attesting in some
degree the love which Wake Forest has
for its sister institutions president. His
subject was college Ideals and he,
bepan hv outlining the achievements of
the college. telling of the early strug-
giles for existence; the heroic efforts OF
some of her sons, the posts of honor
which her graduates have filed and her
rank among, the colleges of the land.
Then. he continued: THE college has
done these things with almost no en-
dowment and only in the last decade
has it been measurably free of debt.
With such a history it has demon
strated it's right to live 1t has matric-
ulated about 4.500 students and grad
uated about 500. OF these some so per
GENT have made success in business
Ege, have made a name for their alma
raetar and for themselves in the world,
AID have made pulpit, bench and plat
1san famous.
@1.+.t what do these achievements
u1Ea? What is the aim? What are
sG1e. colleges ideas of herself? They
gagIlt TO De Kept clearly in view.
Yet <reae numbers; not even equip
tssa.is scr reputation. but real coll
a.ge n me which has the power and
sdagi TO perform the true functions of a
agsilege. What are these? One sem
x41cc covers all To bear its part in de-
gasEopiY1g and directing The powers of
sss sSrdsu1s end throN gn this means
Ip'ifting humanity. The college must
wlsse iarga viaws "a the material it has
os losnd ara wncg < negfects any phase
Sr aiS-.tg1G IN the itfe of man it so far
aaess Il eysrforn itG function.
ssFFo cc5SSsys rises 10 its full response
iyEty s. rs course does not embrace
aS9 sllaI 10 susceptible tc the training
gA the Intellectual side Of the student
az its rna1erial It need onls- be said the
ecaiege should realize its limitations and
sec obligation. limitations IN that it
cannot create power and must not pro-
less to do So: responsibility in that it's
c9arts t1as.at ne ea1nzst
ssUf the physical maTf~it ought to be
ADMITTED 9ns. this shculd be Kept in view
mct Only because all the higher powers
vscfR through this engine, bat because as
0aa animal, Gods highest achievement in
SRat line Is worthy 81 attention. Hence
toe value 81 q gymnasium, not because
either colleges nave It. 3ut because it con-
tributes 8 variable par to tire colleges
&0rk. 7 era rot yet convinced that to
gY3duce an fSeal anirnal collegiate
ufAleticg arc necessary. It iEay be SO, |
Nase IL SO not because other schools engage
o. II. It must De testified en- other
@Ec<.E6S
cyst HI taSs other pilase, commonly |
called Gne mC1al, The i:ae college has to
Eske the nigli~st eonCe.n. speak as a
Gssiaen GnG az an eIuL1nus OF this insti-
emti0n. K tkIg eide has to be neglected |
de whole had better be abandoned. This
sB true, whatever in the future they may |
fMtend TO be, for with the neglect of the
raDral ssdo seIaahnesr becomes dominant
"a a student. Colleges ghc;ild see that |
O student takes awGv finer moral degree
than he brought
s@The college ss03g1 strive 20 give not |
Oniy that power which gpers the con-
tfRent VIE, bands CT steel and circles |
the earth 18th lightning and bridge |
cflasms, bat also fhGt r'Nfcl reads the |
rocks and I:-s hole % the pen to produce |
Paradise Loaf and TIE brush to reveal the
Madonna or sas Iyc2 to swell Handels |
Messiah. %h0fo Ia no depth too profound,
no heighs keo lofty for its daring. 1t
opens thu Gags not seen which are eter-
nal ana pSseals the universe of God and
God in ifs universe to the being who
feels himself an enthusiastically small
copy of his God
"The college should impress the value,
the dignity of the word Ought, a word
which controls the conduct of God. The
ideals which it inculcates should teach the
student that being is more than doing;
that character must underlie achieve
ment The student must be made to
feel that he himself is larger than all
things which are in nature. He must
be able to look in the face of the sun
and say. You are not my king, you are
great but l am your superior, because
| can master the law that holds you and
can rejoice in the consciousness of a
noble purpose"
DR.. Vann then spoke of the moralI
strength which enables man to resist
his political party despite the spoils OF
office and fling defiance into the face Of
the demagogue. He said there will be
more great men of moral character when
there is a demand for them. In conclu
sion he said that to achieve these results
the college must show reyerent love of
truth and never fear to teach the truth
for all truth is holy. The higher criti-
cism that is silly is to be despised. but
to be buried in traditionalism should be
no less so. Eternal right will prevail
and can never go wrong. One need not
be afraid to follow truth.
"Our school is working along the line
of truth and it is yet but in its swaddling
clothes. We are to give her freedom for
higher things. Her growth is not mature
as yet not has she yet reached its zenith
"shine out in the sky. oh glorious sun;
The ned is not yet. the life is just be-
gun
Tomorrow morning at II o'clock Rev.