The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-22
DR.. HALE's CHARACTERISTICS
Effect ef Newspaper Reading ON His
Mental Structure.
G. S. Lee. in the critic.

G. s. Lee. IN the Critic.
DR.. Hale read four novels a week when
in cOllege, and NJ was one OF the few stu
dents who took a daily newspaper. The
fact that he read the newspaper generally
during the first morning recitation. which
was in philosophy. may be taken as one
likes. either as euloSy or a criticism of the
professor or a eulogy or criticism OF DIR.
Hale. DR.. Hale is inclined 10 regard II
apparently as a eulogy OF the professor.
taking the general ground that things be-
ing as they are and professors being what
they are. the less a professor allows him
self 10 determine what students think
about i'm recitation the better: that Is. any
professor who accidentally or otherwise
lets students think about the things they
please may be said TO be above the aver
age.
To most of us this newspaper I'm the
morning Is the best way OF accounting
Tor Or. Hale both In powers and his Inn
i%tations. There can be little doubt that
DR.. Hale's brain. III a crosS-Section or ~
could be removed and photographed. would
he found TO be arranged and set up inside
IN headlines and columns II IS a MIND
that Is always having things happening
In II. and the things are put down IN II as
soon as they happen. and as more things
are expected TO happen right on II nat
urally follows that the sooner the things
that have happened already are disposed
OF the better. DIR. Hale's religion Is an
intense and mqliitudinous sympathy NTH
the moment His philosophy. or rather
one ought to say his reflections. like a
series OF events flying past hin are a kind
OF spiritual form of the events themselves.
reality, ~vividness. color. momentary SUI
premacy and then-not exactly oblivion.
cut a far chance perhaps. and perhaps
not, for mOmentary supremacy again.
There Is considerable ground for the as
Sertion that the world of modern culture
can be divided for the most part into two
classes of persons-distracted people and
specialists, that Is. people who know
enough 10 be distracted IN an era like this
and people who do not. DIR. Hale's life
has been a study in trying TO put these
two classes together. He has made a spe-
cialty of being an all-around man. IL we
are inclined 10 carp. from the German uni
XersIty point OF view. at the Edward
Everett Hale KIND OF al-around man. Il
might be pointed out that an all-around
man of any kind. who is so good as TO
continue to exist amongst MS as things are
going to-day, is a great public resource.
a place for the human spirit TO rest in.
If only for a few months or a few years
lOnger-if only 10 hold the bare idea to-
gether that there have been Sll-around men
i'm the world and that there are going to
be. The value of an all-arourd man to-day.
or a man who merely suggests an all
around man can hardly be overestimated.
His soul is the strategic point i'm modern
life. The great battle OF modern life and or
modern knowledge is 10 be fought around H.
OF the two classes OF people our schools
are OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES people and spe-
c~ialists (mere SDecialiSts)-the signs are
growing very abundant mat the uiSIfaCleQ
people are going TO have the best OF it,
They are not very happy and they do not
look very thorough probably from the bot
tom of a Weld. but they are trying 10 do
something and be something worth while
get a whole. generous crosS-section or life.
and a few OF them. a very few OF them.
are going to do il. Then they will show the
rest how 10 do II.
The barks that get out TO sea. in modern
culture. and that make port besides. can
he counted on the fingers OF one hand.
Most of us cannot even get out OF port
We are either distracted as a matter OF
pride (Scylla) or we are specialists without
knowing il. tC~harydbisD What is more.
IL the specialists that are being produced
at present could really be wrecked on
Charybdis IL would give immediate and
widespread relief. But is there anything
that can wreck specialists nowadayS. or.
rather, inspire them into knowing they are
wrecked? They are not only drawn fatally
into Charybdis. but they are complacently
moored 10 it. They are sailing on and on
i'm their dreams. tied 10 a post. painted
ships on a painted ocean.
We are indebted 10 DR.. Hale for keeping
alive the idea of the multitudinous mind.
Even If his life has been mon~otonously un-
monotonous. II his genius of restlessneSs
has made his soul a kind of long spiritual
street-a mere sameness of change on IL.
II is something TO have kept In sight be-
fore US. for seventy years. a life which has
shared every life. which has thousands OF
doors in it-a man who has lived before an
the world in his cares and in his delightss
with the doors open.