Decorah-posten., 1902-10-31

stance offer to give advice, let us remem.
Der, that those who are more immc'
diately connected with the institution
are just as much interested as we
are, and eve more 20, in her advan'
cement and welfare. We do web to
bear in mind, that teachers and students,
even if they are all enthusiasm, eannot
make a school what they might wish il
10 be, without the support of those in
whose interest the school is maintained.
We, the friends and supporters OF Luther
College, must see to it. that they are not
hampered in their work of building up
the institution, of making her what she
ought to be and what she can be. 1t is
my hope that the coming Jubilee of our
church shall find us in a position TO do
something that will show Dur love for
the first born of the Synod, something
that will rebound to the honor OF our
church and the glory and welfare of our
beloved school. That Luther College
must be put in a position that VIII
enable her to keep on making rapid
strides forward, commensurate with the
demands of the times and our ability to
meet them, If her noble work is to go on
uninterrupted, is, in my opinion, beyond
questioning.
This is an age OF rapid changes, of add
vancement in every line of human under
taking that is astounding. Inventions
that only yesterday were hailed with
enthusiasm are today obsolete and use
less, because superseded by better and
more timely inventions. And this in
creased activity is not absent in educa-
tional circles, perhaps found there to a
greater extent than anywhere else, is
making itself felt in, every institution OF
learning. There is anever increasing
demand made upon the school. teacher
as well as student. From the kinder
garten to the university the demands
are increasing. IL it is always true ad-
vancement, is certainly a question But
every year more and more is demanded,
and it is with this fact we have to deal.
Let it be granted that much OF this So
called progress and advancement is
sham, is humbug, that a great many
changes introduced at 20 many colleges
and universities are simply tads, calcu-
lated, it would seem, more to attract
attention, than to be OF any real benefit.
But even if this be the case, it certainly
cannot all be classified as sensational
and faddv, nor even the create part of
il. And the question is, car we stand
idly by and not be touched by it al?
Are we in such a position that we need
not be influenced by it in the least?
Shall it be said with any degree OF justice
that Luther College is resting IN her
~laurels, that we look upon her future as
being secure because of her past? Shall
we, her alumni and friends, meet the cry
! An,- a.t.-a xAa,,ayt .r,th fhp nnENEEfs
What she gave to us is in every way ad-
equate for our children? Such a policy
would be ~ruiuous in the extreme, nor
a l think that any true frind OF Luz
Their College would be in the least dis
posed to follow it. II in the methods
now almost universally adopted by in
stitutions of higher learning there is
much to be Stunned, there is also much
to be learned. AS the best Christian
may learn much from the most worldly
minded man, IN many things may look
up to him as an exemple, so we who are
interested in Luther College may learn
much from those whose aim is entirely
different from ours, whose views ON life
would not coincide withyours and mine.
And If Luther College in the future is not
to be left behind in the ace by sister
| schools, she cannot afford to stand still
for a day, but be always ready to adopt
whatever will add to her prestige with
out taking her away from her one
great purpose. ! know there is a fear,
that ii many things adopted at various
institutions of learning be followed here,
in whole or in part, there is darger OF
losing sight of our true AIM. But is not
this fear without a real foundation?
May not the truth be imbibed from
vessels ofgold and silver, as well as from
the crudest of earthenware? Are we to
think that the eternal truth is less
effective now that It is preached to our
people in a comfortable and beautiful
church edifice, than it was half a cen
fury ago, when those who listned TO it
sat shivering in a log Goblin? May we
not adopt the methods of another per
son and still use them for a very ditie-
rent still have n very different
aim? The danger | fear would rather
be in paying too little attention to cx-
t~ernals, % little attention to the chan
ging ofthings that may be non-essential
inimparting real knowledge, in giving in
struCtiou, but which are essential in OBJ
tanning young men to receive the in
struction. We must not forget that it
is necessary to take the world as it is.
and not as it ought to be. And view
ing conditions as they are, we find that
nine tenths OF our young men are not
sent to college any more, they go to
college, and. ] am afraid, as a rule go
where they choose. Now to the
Young man who has lust been gra-
duated from a highschool or its equi-
yalent and consequently has tasted,
but not drank very deep, from the foun-
tain OF knowledge. to him there is some
thing fascinating 10 the display made by
so many schools in their grand equip
ment, the number of instructors, the
long array of august titles, empty
though they may be i'll themselves. the
fame. which n teacher may have
acquired, his ability to command the
respect of the outside world, and to ad-
vertise himself as one who is ever alert,
ever on the lookout for anything and
everything pertaining TO his branch that
may aid him in imparting knowledge and
make him the better qualified for his i'm.
portaut and responsible position. 1t is
to be feared too, that not only the
young man. but possible also the pa
rents, who may be consulted as to what
school he is to choose, have a weakness
for these externals. And even fit be folly
on their part, are we IN a position to
justify US in wholly ignoring or entirely
overlooking these matters, as well as
many Others that might be mentioned
1t goes without saying that outward
appearances are of small importance
compared with the real work OF a school:
and yet they are ofimportance in this
l