Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-06-07
New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts,
MEsILLA PARK, NEW MEXICO.
Ninth Annual Commencement, Juue 4, 1902.


theatre the nation may teach lessons
to those who come to their senses too
late or were prevented by poverty to
take advantage of the instruction offer
ed in our countries high schools. The
theatre would not teach algebra or
Latin. no! But do you not acquire a
sense of morality in your high school
education? Yes. and and you all agree
with me that there is more algebra
and Latin acquired than this sense of
morality. SO | st%renuously uphold that
the stage has a work to do which no
other force can accomplish. Inc
church does good and has had an i'm
portant part in the progress of civili-
cation; but the church does not reach
the masses-it does not teach the
hordes. This is not such a terrible
world and utopia is not so far off as
some think.
We need a little more patience, a
little more charity for all, a little
more devotion, a little more love; with
less bowling down to the past. We need
a brave looking forward to the future.
with more confidence in ourselves and
more faith in our fellows.
Is not that what ministers of the
gospel have cried for centuries?
The theatre is place where the sense
of morality can be taught. | am not
to try to go into details to show how
this can be done; but | emphasize the
fact that it a be done. | refer to
the editorials of Rev. Charles Sheldon
of Topeka. Kas., who says that 1.-The
theatre must become the nations
school to teach to you and me a higher
eapen nf r,nrolify AlCn watch fnl
articles in the magazine from Bran
der Mathews, Columoia's retorician.
He writes extensively on this question
and one splendid article may be found
in the August number. 1900. North
American Review. The thoughts and
theories of today may become the rub
bish of tomorrow. You cannot build a
Chinese wall around the human intel
lect. Hence for me this proposition
has no terror. If good, the people in
time will accept it; if found otherwise,
they will in time reject it, and in this
as in all else affecting the welfare OF
the race, it is safe to trust the good
sense Of the people.
The public is not always right. but
it is right oftener than anyone else.
The theatre as a teacher of morality
as a means to the end, which end is
utopia. | say that the theatre as this
means is in it's infancy. 1t is being
tried in Kansas City, Chicago and the
states of Central America. Whether
the teacher as a teacher of morality
is one of the great worlds altar stairs
that slope through darkness up to God
as its advocates sincerely believe; OF
whether the slopes tends in the oppo
site direction as its d~etractors assert
|. is not my purpose to inquire now
for time and time alone can deter
mine.
Under the immortal declaration OF
the fathers of our republic, as well as
under constitutions and laws, this is
a land of liberty filed with liberty low
ing people, who hate oppression and
love fairness and justice. Hence the
theatre as a mean to teach morality
and lift the nation to a higher plane oil
progress and education may be up
held or opposed precisely under the
same rights and under the same public
duties.
Sir Walter Scott long ago ~recogniZ
ed the theatre as a Means to utopia
as the end. He wrote. 81 know OF nj
calling that so purifies ones character
that gives an opportunity to raise the
standard of morality as that of the
stage" God bless the stage and its
people. for it has the nations destiny
in it's hands.
me Colored Major one of the
most soul stirring marches. was ther
rendered by the orchestra. followed
by