The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-06-14

boys. and also the vast Possibilities
Tor good The management OF boys
he said, has all the interest of a
great game of chess, with living crea-
lures .or pawns and pieces. and your
adversary. in plain English. the devil,
who truly plays a tough game and is
| very hard to beat
With all the advance in civilization
and the evolution Of mankind. the boy
nature does not seem TO change. IT.
Arnold's day the dear lads were no
more advanced toward, the angelic
state than they r today. When Ar
mold surveyed his field there was truly
enough to dishearten him. It was
generally that public schools were the
nurseries Of vice. Arnold had to ad-
NIT that this was the case, but he
refused to admit that II was neces-
sartly so. His conception of a school
was that 1t should first Of ell be a
place for the formation OF character
and next a place for learning and
study as a means OF attainment for
the higher end"
Professor Bivins followed with a
sketch Of the personal methods used
by DR.. Arnold in winning the conf
honor. In the sermons he. as their dean.
preached to them faithfully and con-
stantly.
He liked to encourage games and
sports though he seldom joined in
them. However. he did not like some
schools admit athletics into the
curriculum on an equality with work.
He commended that the extreme atten-
ton given to athletics by some schools
tended to make the students brutal Of
soul"
Professor Bivens in referring to Tom
Browns School Days." made the
point that Tom Brown could not be
considered as c good specimen Of the
men under DR. Arnold's influence, as.
judging from his story the chief aim
of h school would seem to be to pro-
due a healthy animal in place Of the
carnal minded man which was in realty
the case
Dr.. Arnold'S influence or the educa-
tional life of his school was briefly
ouched upon. He gave Latin and
Creek said the lecturer, prominent
places in his curriculum, using them as
a means to an end, a means by which
he might obtain access to the best
thought and culture of the world, and
by which the student nay have drilled
into him the general principles of
grammar. Along with languages at
Rugby school were taught, history,
geography, ethical and political
science.
The lecturer glanced at DIR. Arnold's
varied interest in extra scholastic mat
tiers, mentioned the after career of his
children. and closed with a touching
and vivid picture Of the sadness in the
little village of Rugby when the sudden
announcement of the death of the be-
loved eacher was made to all who loved
and revered him..
In the absence of DR.. Few, of Trim
ity College, who was to address the
assembly on 1.-The Influence of Presi-
dent Elliot on American Education"
DIR. Edwin Minis was called upon.
In response. DR.. Minis a among other
things:
W. have under consideration this
morning the man who has had the
greatest influence on education in
England during this century and on the
other hand the man who has had the
greatest influence on higher education
in this century during the past fifty
Years. We sometimes do not realize
the influence Of a man like President
Elliot Of Harvard University.
when he was a young man travelling
in Europe a commercial concern in New
England offered him five thousand dol
lars to take up their business. He then
had no position in view. but he said
to them, I have chosen as my life
work, to do something for the educa-
ton of the American young men n
young women. n I cannot even for
this tempting offer turn aside from ms
ideal He came back, became a tutor
in the seminary n later h president
of Harvard University.
Il wish to call attention to three
things that President Elliot has done
for he is a man who does things"
DR.. Minis then spoke in detail of
President Elliot's successful efforts,
first to revolutionize Harvard and
make it the leading college in the
try; next, he took hold of the problem
of graduate work in his university, and
third he did great things for profess
siona1 schools.
""Then,' continued the lecturer.
when he had done enough work to be
a mum for any man he looked
out over the school work of this land,
and it was he who i~naugurated the
movement which we know as h COM
mittee of ten. and today this has had
more influence On the high schools and
academies Of u country than any
other one force in our modern life"
DR.. Minis address was followed by a
short discussion led by President Holt
on the great need Of better North Car
DINA histories and Biographies in u
schools, and more good North Carolina
literature available for all our people.
superintendent Coon suggested that
it was all right for the North Carolina
Historical and Literary Society to tell
US to teach Dur state history, but they
had better show us how to do it.
President Holt said that the Raleigh
chapter of the Daughters of the Revo-
luton, if his information was correct.
were now getting out a set of leaflets
on North Carolina history. and suggest
ed to the Assembly to subscribe
through the chapters secretary, Miss
Martha H. Haywood. Raleigh.
The assembly then adjourned until
the night session.