Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-06-18
The Grafton.

in the life of every individual when he
is confronted with momentous prob
lens, which demand solution, times
when circumstances concentrate their
forces and compel the individual at
tention of all his faculties. Whether
they seem to the individual himself to
be momentous or not, they are so.
Many of the worlds greatest crises
have been passed without disturbing
even by ripple. the calm serenity of
it's placid surface. Many a battle
whose results have been incalculable
has been fought among the most
peaceful surroundings in happy igno-
rance of the vast consequences hanging
upon its outcome.
All that we do not find ourselves
possessed with at birth. but which we
shall need in life, should be given us
by education. Man has to do with self
more than anything else in this life.
He needs. therefore, primarily, n
knowledge of self: secondly, a knowl-
edge of others; and. thirdly. a knowl-
edge of things. And these should react
one upon another, the knowledge of
self-aiding in getting the understand
ing of others; this understanding help
ing to get a more accurate knowledge
of things. and these two combining
to produce 4 correct conception of our
own personality.
The aim OF education. then. is not
merely to enable us to know ourselves,
but also to show us our relations with
our fellow men. To know self Is not
sufficient for man cannot live alone.
If he is a rational being he comes in
contact with other men and affairs.
To be prepared for this contact. he
must know more than what he HIM
self can perform: he must know what
others can do.
Man has two natures. the physical.
and what may be called the mental.
Complete self knowledge must neces-
sarily embrace both these. and 1t is the
great achievement of true education
to make the exercise of one serve as a
recreation for the other. Excessive de-
velopment of either of these to the ne
glect of the other is injurious. but a
systematic evolution of both is indis-
pensable to an accurate conception OF
personal ability.
We can never fully know what men
can or will do: we are always learn
ing this. 1t is n progressive study and
ends with eternity. Almost daily we
are greeted with the news of some
fresh departure from the usually ac-
cepted lines. or some unexpected dis
covery. Manifestly. it is impossible to
have as complete n knowledge of
others as Of ourselves. But we can,
retrospection, ascertain and comprehend
certain general lines of action upon
which we can base our calculations.
These will serve to guide us In our
contact with the world, If not infalliDly.
at least more safely. Our relation with
other individuals is what we may call
orr vocation. OF all the problems with
which we are confronted. perhaps
there is none which has so vital a
hearing upoil our lives and character
as that of determining what our Voca-
tion shall he. OF some 1t
may almost be said that their vocation
was predetermined. So evident We're
the tendencies which dominated their
being that apparently no consideration
was required for q decision. And yet
ot some time in their life these persons
have had the different possibilities pre-
sented to them. and have made their
choice. Though they may have decid-
ed easily. yet they decided as truly.
rs effectively. as those who were more
deeply concerned.
Self-knowledge means Self-reaiiza-
ton. n more or less grasp of those
mysterious powers and faculties that
make m the essence of that being
which we call IT." This study will
bring out our inherent powers and
develop them. What priceless treas
ure have been lost to the world by a
neglect of this study. What immeas-
ureable force has been wasted because
unused or misapplied. What noble
deeds might have been performed.
what countless hearts might have been
saved the pangs of bitter remorse II
the dormant powers of numberless in
dividuals could have been utilized.
The value of the buried talents is even
greater than that of those which are
nut 70 usury. Many and many man
CONTINUED ON page ~