The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-06-10

lege. to still foster the love OF study
and good reading. to be seekers OF
knowledge as long as lire should
last.
Another obligation devolving upon
the students OF southern colleges was
10 learn the lessons OF southern his
tory. In beautiful language the speak
or portrayed the condition OF the
south al the close OF the war for
Southern Independence.
Happily the south had emerged
from the darkness and the danger, from
out the clouds. and she was now
bravely endeavoring to rebuild the
shattered fabrics OF her national life
and. her voice was now TO her COL
lege graduates. to whom she called
to preserve the glorious records OF
her past. Some there were who
would have us to believe that the his
tory OF the south had nothing worthy
OF study, that a new south had risen
having nothing in common with the
old. They knew not of what they
spoke. AS we'll tell mariner to 60
upon the seas without his compass
and his chart. To the past we must
look for help, to the past we must call
to guide us. And was it deaf and
dumb? No; the voices of the past
gave forth no uncertain sound, and
woe to that people who regarded
them not. Should the southern states
sever themselves from their memor-
able past? Perish the thought! 1t
was time to drift from the bloody
chasm made by the war, to lift the
crimson curtain that was dropped.
and it was the duty of the college
graduate in this first calm of peace to
go back to the past and save all that
was precious there.
The speaker painted beautiful pic
ture OF the old south, of the purity Of
its statesmen, of the high resolves
which atcuated the performance OF
every duty, OF the high code OF honor
of the southern gentleman. The
bringing forth and the study Of these
was one of the sweet uses of the study
of the history of the past. He was
cerain South Carolinians could serve
their country best by remaining true
to the traditions of their state
4 people without a history were
like man without memory, and
such a man was not lar removed from
the brute
Another obligation resting upon
college students was the duty to aid
in the cultivation and creation OF a
distinctively southern literature. The
south had produced many men OF lit
erarv genius. among whom he men
toned DR.. J. A. B. Scherer, the new
president OF Newberry college, whose
recent work. Japan OF Today" he
characterized as the most valuable
contribution to the history OF that
Study But the south had not taken
the place in literature for which she
was so we'll fitted by her fruitful
fields OF romance and of history,
based on a glorious past. Not yet
had the tale of the Confederate war
been told and it was we'll. We were
vet too near those bloody fields. and
they were yet too real to be sottened
or subdued by the glamour Of ro-
nance or truthiully portrayed by the
pen OF the historian. In glowing
words which formed one OF the most
beautiful prose poems it has ever been
the pleasure of Newberry audience
to hear from the lips of public
speaker, Mr.. Benet pictured the nat
ural beauty OF the beauteous south
land. lacking only the genius OF man
to bathe it in light never seen on
land or sea, the conservation OF the
poet. to make it as worthy OF pilgrim
ages from the distant parts OF the
earth as any of the grand scenery
famous in song and story. Engage
in writing southern books. he pleaded.