The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-09-02
Shall I 90 to College?

BY Rev f. y. Pressly. D. D. in
Assuciate Reformed Presbyterian.
That depends upon number of con-
siderations. Lack of money is most
frequently pleaded by those who re-
turn a negative answer to this import
ant question. 1t is often allowed to
determine the matter without any
further thought or effort. Parents
have been known to dismiss the ques-
ton Of their children's education in
this summary way, while they have
gone on adding field to field and
house to house. They have neither
an understanding of the value of an
education nor of their parental obliga-
tons to seek the highest good of their
children. They value houses and
lands and merchandise more than cul-
tivated minds and hearts; and hence
they are unwilling to use a part Of
their possessions in fitting their child
rem for some higher mission in life
than mere money-getting. 1t is posi-
BILE to hold dollar 80 near the eye as
to shut out of view the starry heavens.
1t need scarcely be said that such a
selfish and purblind policy defeats
itself. 1t is a matter of common OBJ
seryation that the educated class, the
world over, is the class that controls
the wealth and enjoys the largest
share of creature comforts. And they
know how to enjoy them in the best
and truest sense. Refinement and
culture enables them to multiply
many fold the power of their material
resources to yield real pleasure and
satisfaction. Ignorance is waste.
Lack of money is often the plea of
Incidence and shiftleness Any
young men of good heart, With two
strong arms, and with no one depend
ent on his efforts for support ought to
be ashamed to confess that he wants a
college education and is unable to get
it. If he is really in. earnest, and is
willing to work, he can accomplish it.
Not in four years, perhaps, but what
matters that? His labor is unproduc-
tive, indeed, if he can not earn enough
in cne year to pay his expenses in col
lege the next. And the matter be-
comes easier each successive year for
his earning capacity increases with
each year of training. That such an
undertaking requires pluck and per
severance, is freely admitted but
surely these old fashioned graces have
not entirely disappeared in this age of
haste and short cuts. The boy who
gets an education in this way learns
many valuable lessons that are not
included in the curriculum of any COL
lege lessons that will prove immeasur-
ably more valuable than the tuition
he has paid. The boy has laid the
foundation of sturdy manhood, and
uttered sure prophecy of higher at
tainments yet to he reached. We
know in advance that he shall far
outstrip in the race of life the boy who
has not learned in the school of strug-
gle the lessons of self-mastery, self
reliance, and courage in the face of
difficulties.
Erskine College was founded and is
maintained for the purpose of bring
ing q college education within. the
reach of young men of small means |;
and it covets nothing so much as the
opportunity of extending help to that
class of students described above.
Among the thousands who have gone
out from this institution during the
siXty-five years of it's labors, large
per cent. of those who have accom-
pIished most for themselves, for socie-
ty, the church and the state belong to
the number of those who acquired
their equipment by struggle and self
denial. wish that propriety would
permit me to write down some names
in proof of this-names that would be
recognized by all who read these lines
as occupying a commanding place in
the various professions and business
positions around them. What has
been done by them may be done by
hundreds of young men who are al
lowing their whole lives to be mar
rowed and circumscribed because diff
cuties seem to hedge about their ways.