The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-06-21
ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT VENABLE
Delivered Before the Teachers Assembly
June 18th, 1901.

triumphant words OF a man who had
turned from a career. promising much OF
preferment and gain. TO take up ONE
which involved toll and privation and
personal danger and suffering. Instead
OF the brilliant lawyer and public citi-
zen. which he might have been, he had
spent his strength as an humble preacher
of the truth, a teacher of those who lay
IN darkness. and judged by all ordinary
rises above the encouragement OF his
surroundings. the lack of appreciation
of his work. the apparently scant sue
cess. and cries with magnificent conh-
dence. bred OF a belief in the value OF
his work. I magnify my office" Paul
had taken the right perspective OF his
just proportion. The judgment of the
centuries reverSes that Of the bin 1g-
norance of the time and makes 1t clear
that his indeed was the grandest work
of ali the ages and he himself no weak
ling, no mad enthusiast. but one OF the
kind.
My fellow teachers. 1 do not propose
this evening to weary you with mere
platitudes about your work nor to in
dulge in a complacent summing up or
the many excefences OF your profession
Sue s~elf-laudatfon on our part would Ill
befit SO high a calling and rather prove
that We had not magnifIed but mistaken
our office.
But I purpose pleading for a proper per-
spectiye. a juSter sense Of the eternal fit
ness and proportion OF things. I know
thai I speak to some who are bowed
down with encouragement and the sense
of failure: VINO feel that their laborS are
not measured justly by the worlds STAN
dards; who struggle not only with a lack
of appreciation but wage a bitter and
sometimes a losing warfare against pow
erty and want. The years pass and the
blossom and tine flower of life fade and
no return seems brought to US for all
our strivings. On, my brother and my
sister. in this summertime between the
months of our labors. let us strive for
a ulster perspective of our work. a truer
Hnn Of w. n 70 n M rho wa
should be. and Through the elbow-touch
of fellow soldiers take heart of nope for
the months or years that may lie be
fore US
Amng the false standards by which We
and our work are most often measured Is
that of the money value. 1t is not Surprls-
ing that this should be appealed 10. The
glittering coin has been the arbiter of
value for SO long a time in this slow
learning world that it seems impossible
Tor il to understand how the riches OF
the whole world may fail to out-baIance
one common possession of US all which
some handle careleSSly. and the very
existence of which is denied by others
SC intangible. useless and valueless does
II seem. II do not mean by this that the
money standard is to be despised as val
ueIess. 1t has it's appropriate place and
we are forced often to appeal to it. but
the proper perspective must be maintain
ed and the penny must not be held so
close to the eye as to dwarf the stature
of 4 man. blind us to the gIories of n
sun. or hide from us some of the eternal
NGTlpeS OF 6OO ; klQSuOm Inc CnOlcG Is
put to many of us. Will you use your
knowledge or your training SO as to Sc
cure for yourself ease of living. freedom
of those pleasures which wealth can
bring. or Will you struggle on. underpaid
and unappreciated, poorly clothed and
of seeing those whom you love and
whom it is your pride to support. de-
prfyed Of simple pleasures or even ac-
Lual necessities. suffering all OF this for
the sake OF some high-strung. perhaps
mistaken. ideal of service. Are there
not great things to be accomplished with
wealth? Is there not in this. also. great
service for humanity? Such questions
as these We ask ourselves and I can find
who yield and persuade themselves that
they have higher calls. Often they still
do good service and are not lost IN. the
ease of the lessened struggle. Some
times the softer. easier life robs them
OF all high endeavOr and noble serving.
Do not misunderstood me. The laborer
Is worthy OF his hire and often the hire
is far from worthy of the laborer. If il
should come about that the laborer IL
appreciated at more nearly his true
value the higher reward is his right or
service.
But I. insist upon It. the point OF view
should be one of duty and of service
and not one of money and ease. The
question one should put to himself Is
rather where and how can I make the
best use OF my one poor talent o: OF
ed of me with interest-how can / be
of Creates service rather than how can
/ earn the largest number of dollars?
Neither YOU nor I make the mistake of
thinking 1t easy to look at our lives from
this standpoint. It is not easy-it is very
view. Even this blind old world wake
up TO that at times and recognizes IN
man who hath done what She could.
its noblest and it's best. See the honor
that is being done in these days and
in this state to Calvin H. Wiley because
he loved tho Chihrpn pf the state and
iabored for them without thought of re-
ward. laying the ~oundatto of that sys-
thousands OF our children till none need
be without light. Mankind delight tc
honor a Liebig. who gave to the world
his great discoveries and refused to rear
the benefits which might so easily have
been his OWL. 1 am free to say that !
would rather be instrumental in mould.
ing one human mind. in training on
strong brain to use its God-given pow
ers. in loosinS the shackles of ignoranc,
that bound one hopeless prisoner. II
leading one child upward TO the iigh
than to earn thousands by some dis
covery or merely heap up in any wa!
piles OF metal. even though it be silve
or gold.
Let us go back TO the beginnings. m!
friends. and test This question by tn,
tombstone of a mothers love. No falls,
eittering stuff that is not gold can de
cefve that test. What would that frs
and best OF all teacher a true hearteC
mother. tax in exchange for the RICH
teaching OF the little one who stands a
her knee? Would she dare 70 weigh i
against anv amount of money or cas-
or comfort? COul you bride her b,
any gift to leave that little one untaught'
And she Is but the tyne of the trut
teacher who loves his work aud is prou,
OF il and Is not merely working for hi
hire. though hire is necessary and goo,
hire is very pleasant
When the penny is withdrawn from th
eye and the money value sinks out o
view. the teacher stands appalled, some
times at the vision of the great issue
OF life which are placed in his hands. I'll
making or the marring OF that which j
a copy of the divine image. bestowed upol
man in far-off Eden.
Do I magnify my office? Rather le
me ask. can / magnify my office by an,
words or comparisons when one take
this sublime view of the training OF
human mind? If you will but take thi
view. I hold that there is much in
to bring comfort amidst great discourage
merit. Some Of us doubtless feel that on
facilities are altogether Inadequate 70