New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-02
PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE.
President FnLey's address Before
Public Education association.

4 not going 10 speak Of the pedagogy or
pathology Of the age in which live. but OF the
philosophy q life which lies behind it all" said
President Finley OF the College OF the City Of
New-Eork AT the annual meeting Of the Public
Education Association yesterday afternoon
This age into which we have come and IN which
educational efforts lie has put away weapons
Of flint but has not yet outgrown or civilized over
all the savagery OF the paleouthic and neoIthic
man who used these crude pieces Of stone in the
chase and war. il does drive its old and de-
crerit into the forest 10 die, but yet herds its
children IN places OF degrading and dWaring toll
L Is practical exactlng. material. unsentimeutaI
age but We mistake its nature II IN i
only these qualities # assume that competitive
selhshness, aunealed with iniexibe laws which cut
ard grind unfee.IrCiy heartlessly, is the distin-
gushing feature Of the times upon which We have
come. Selfshness there is. as there has always
been. and to-day IL - perhaps more noisy, more
patent and blatant than II has ever been. but
doubt il ever before this seemingly selfish struggle
has had a higher q more benehcent expenditure.
The grapes ct Eschol grow here: the land flows
with milk and honey. and there is fruit in f. Il
Is also true that The giants OF greed dwell here,
and that there cities which walled in cor
rUpuon IN sensuOusness. in luxury and misery, and
that these cities are very great. But after my
spying in this land I can say with as much con-
fdence as Caleb had when he brought back his
opuulsuc report about Canaan, We are well able
70 overcome it,
Il have been within the last few months in the
very capital Of The age OF steel that rnniciDa Iirv
which is the spirit Of the practical age incorporate
that city pictured by an artist as the internal
region with the lid or We came shriekfng down
from the mountains in The dusk OF the day through
mile mile OF flaming coke ovens past acres Of
mills and factories. through The smoke OF ten
thousand chimreys and the clargor and cIauor OF
trip hammers and locomotive whistles and electric
gOugs-a very bedlam Of business: but as We came
into the heart Of the town, through the smoke and
log which MD H. through all the deafening tumult
OF trade and Of traffic, there sounded the 4eep-
toned voice OF q mighty bell Il was the angeIus
OF the town, the voice OF mans worship and best
aspiration speaking above the olu f the fierce
struggle for existence and supremacy. from the
pillar of cloud which stands over the city by day
and the pillar OF IRE which CLEANS there by night.
70 keep its begrimed, busy inhabitants mindful
ever Of the unseen country toward which they
are 5ourneEiIE. 10 make men remember that there
q the church o- cathedral was not merely sounding
Iogeiess 5g-o-5art angle a. da-T- $3.50, Lt' 5
w hen we think of the million millions who have
whom a few generations hence perhaps not = hun
dred viii even know Jlat you and have hrearhed.
struggled ana u4ed here ever the most sef-ztisded
and optimistic ~ rs must i5e a sense ~ the evan
human being But man stands, Carlyle says,
the couGlx Of two eteruities. Th- thing we are
ming OF days and VIII 60 on 10 AN endless future.
Tor such thought W are no longer insignificant.
and The keeIers Of al that has been and the potent
masters Of all tEaI IS 70 be- every hours living
becomes force that win somehow find its express
sion. IL not in the lives trying q teach.
AZ least In some way We must change the future
for better for worse and what are attempt
ing 10 do for the youth % oeH-lork must somehow
get itself record IL LIE for all time and all the
eternity that may le beyond"
Mrs. T. r. Hewel presided IN the absence Of the
president AIRS. Schuyler Van Rensselaer,. who was
detained by serious illness IN her family and q
report OF the years work was given hy the score
tary. Miss Laura !. Post Tho names Of the Off
Gers elected previous meeting read by
the chairman and confirmed They aTo- President
Mrs Schuyler Van Rensselaer, vice president. Mrs.
Miriam SuIrO Price treasurer Mrs. Frederick J.
Stius0u. secretary, Miss Laura J. Post. assistant
secretary Mrs n q. Eliot; executive council. Mrs
Jlse Asr.ar. Miss Wil.frrG Buck Miss Agnes
Carpenter. Mrs. Arthur n Dodge Mrs. T. c.
Henderson. Mrs. ?. r Hewitt, Miss Kobe Mrs.
Woodbury. Jangdon. Mrs. Edward 5. Mead. Miss
Helen Moore Mrs. Willard Parker. Mrs Willard
Parker. g.. Miss Alice Pine Miss Laura J. Post.
Mrs. Miriam SUtr0 Price Mrs ". Z D. Scott.
AIRS. Victor Sorchan. Mrs Frederick !. Stimson
Mrs Schuyler Van Rensselaer, Mrs. Gordon Wen
DELL lI-s Julia x West, and Mrs John J.
White. g.
During rle afternoon n chorus Of children from
Public School SO 1sG under the direction OF Louis
Lambert sang several songs