The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-27
ADVICE TO TEACHERS
Pres. Boyd Advocated Building
up individuality
COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS
Last Night Before GraduteS of
City Normal School

President Boyd. of the University of
Oklahoma, delivered the class address Of
the thirteenth annual commencement of
the City Normal school at the Toler last
night to a large number of friends and
relatives of the graduating class
The subject Of Prof. Boyd's address
was THE Importance Of the Individual in
Education" and was an eloquent plea for
the development OF individual skill and
Individual education. Prof Boyd is an
excellent speaker, and as his standing
would indicate, is a clear thinker. His
long experience in educational lines has
given him thorough understanding of
the work. and he speaks with certain
confidence that is pleasing. He told of
the common school training through the
early history OF the nation and showed
how it had become necessary, through the
advancement of other enterprises and in
situations, TO make steps toward higher
learning. He spoke Of the grand public
school system of the United States and of
the great work that is being accomplish
ed by it, but deplo-ed and pointed out
one great mistake that was made in
establishing the present system of public
schools-that of uniformity of training
without regard to the individual. de
pointed out the differences in the physical.
moral, spiritual and intellectual makeup
OF people in general. and then made the
query: Why should these people OF
entirely different mental inclinations be
given the same training? Why should
not their tastes and inclinations be con
sidered in-the matter of training as well
as in choosing an avocation?" He showed
the advantage Of a higher education 10
persons in every walk in life, but laid
special stress upon the great advantage
to a farmer There was a time when any
man could make fair success at farming,
but Prof. Boyd stated that with the rap
idly increasing population and the nee
essarily smaller farms, an increasing fer
tility is demanded. The farmer who has
made study Of the soil and understands
the nature and needs of the plants he
raises has great advantage over his
neighbor who farms by chance. In clos
ing. Prof. Boyd paid some very pretty
tributes to the graduating class of girls
who sat in a semi-circle behind him on
the stage.
president Of the board of education, who
presented the diplomas, Superintendent
Knight spoke of the work which has been
done by the class. He stated that this
class of young ladies had accomplished
moro than any other class in the history
of the Normal.
In presenting the diplomas Mr.. HATFIELD
spoke in complimentary terms of the
work of the class and pointed out the
value and Importance OF higher education
and the responsibility of the teacher. he
also told them of their duties and obliga-
tions to the youth who come under their
jurisdiction as teachers. The class of 1905
consists of the following young ladies'
whose motto is: To Be Rather Than
Appear" Stella NJ. Furnish, Minnie A
Williams. Elizabeth Harwood Phillips,
Edith J. Brooks. Nettie D. Hollingsworth.
The High School Mandolin club favored
the audience with two very pretty seiec-
tons. both Of which were heartily
ancorpd