The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-05
raEs sun, WEDNESDAY, JOEY 81 1908.
TO every boy and girl In the land, To re %
10 that every child whose parents cannot

to every boy and girl IA the land. 10 oee %
y that every child whose parents 'cannps
grounded in at least the rudiments OF learn
Ing, Ia taught to study and to think and -
given the tools with which II 80 disposed IL
may still further educate itself. Get visa
quick theories are as pernicious as det
produce scholars ready made II we can
cultivate the habit of study and OF thought
we shall have accomplished much
The country needs men OF thought ana
men OF learning, and needs them badly.
The man who thinks may be greater er
been said that no amount Of sweetness and
light will avail unless accompanied. by &C
ton, which is the same as saying that the
brain would be useless without the power
Of expression. We have deifed action 81
motto, Act in haste, repent at leisure,
no longer stands at the top Of our copy
books. We have 30 persistently preached
the doctrine OF action that we are almost
convinced that any. action Is better than
none, Not. only have sweetness and
light been discarded as effeminate fads, but
thought and elaboration bid fair to follow
them III you can't act we'll, then oct
badly: but, for Heavens sake, act threat
ems to become our yuiding rule. When
temple he certainly performed most
vigorous action, and yet it may we'll be ques,,
toned whether little more sweetness and
light and little less vigor might not have
been as instructive and beneficial, Vigor-
GUS action Is very admirable at times, but
look before you leap Is safe rule OF lie.
we suffer from the spirit OF unrest
which frequently prompts us to illoon-
sidered, immatured and thoughtless action,
often merely for the sake Of doing some
thing We are INCLINED to applaud the ne
accomplishes anything useful as because
he accomplishes something, be 1t good,
bad or Indifferent.
This spirit of unrest permeates our whole
national life, political, social educational.
our existence. He who is content is sneered
at as being without ambition, and yet am
bition and Mysteries are, very different
things. Contentment and happiness are
synonym GUS, but we prefer to. sacrifice
both l in strSaigge for the unobtanapei
mind would be most commendab!e. but
unfortunately we scarcely know what We
are striving for We have forgotten that
deeds are merely means to an end HaV.
ing no particular end in view, we treat the
deeds themselves as the sunmnm tonun,
the ultimate object of attainment.
You who are here to-day are charged In
your lifes work with one Of the sublimest
missions In the world. Not to- make
savants or scholars, not to make writers OF
DCOhS VI sdkcs, put W MANS ilOiiest, IHOus'b-
full, God fearing men and women. II you
succeed in doing this you will have proved
the reason for your existence. II you do
this the rest will follow. What we need
Is not so much men who do as men who
think; not so much unthinking men of ac-
ton as thoughtful, earnest, conservative
citizens. II by doing your duty you make
such citizenship possible you will your
selves be the purest the noblest and the
best doors Of deeds.
Commissioner Of Education Andrew 8.
Draper spoke on the Nations Educational
Purpose" Turning to Mayor Mcclellan,
he addressed him as 'the son of a great
commander Of Union armies and also
son Of Princeton Mr.. Draper said that
-the association, without any partizanship,
might we'll express its satisfaction that
the scholarship,the moral sense and chief
magistracy OF the nation so splendidly
met in the person of Theodore Roosevelt.
Mr.. Draper said also that "the educa-
tional thought Of AMERICA has no incna-
ton toward socialism. 1t opens the door
OF opportunity to all, but 1t takes from
no man the fruit Of his energy. There is
no smack of charity about the public edu-
oationa system Of America 1t is for all
1t does not insist that every one must go
to the higher institutions It would make
the work OF the schools aid the industries.
James H. Garfield, librarian Of Columbia
University. was the last speaker. His
subject was Ideal AmericanisIn.'