Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-06-21
ORATION.
Leonard Augustus Pierce. lIoulton.

Leonard Augustus Pierce. lIoulton.
A certain very wise min is credited
with saying. would that knew half as
inuch as those Just graduating think tb.'y
KNOW. Whatever this learned audience
may discover of truth i'll this sarcasm.
purpose 10 speak not concerning the great
world before us but rather OF the smaller
college world we are to leave. or this
world, our experience is, ut least, recent.
None of us Will admit that college edu-
cation, esp, cally Buwdoin College educa-
ton. leaves much 10 be desired; but there
is one evil in all student life which is
not easily discovered. but which is recog-
nllcG by careful educators. and to some
extent understood by college men. 1t is
what President Hyde calls ''srcgarious
mediocrity.' 1t is the danEer-now great
that colleges will not produce men with
Individuality. We are accustomed to look
on colicS" men as types. When one OF
that mysterious cpithet college MAN.
His clothes, his walk. his slang. his very
bearing and expression of face all pro-
claim him one of Il class.
So much is harmless. No one cares If
college men dress alike, 50 long rs they
90 not appear on the street in rowins
trunkS-nO one seriously objects if they
DO work off their superfiuouS energy IN
the same way, 50 long as they do not tend
TO utilize their united efforts in paint
ing the town red. But when they be
gin to think alike, and utterly to LOSE
their individual characteristics IN those
of their type. then very serious danger
has arisen. And it must be admitted that
this tendency to grcgariouS mediocrity
extends all through college life.
The interests of college student are cv-
crywlcrc the same. Their highest dcvO-
ton is to their teams, to the fellows. ami
to their own college. Their devotion t.
their studies, to church and state and t.
mankind as whole is in comparison very
slight. Now since these objects especially
united action of the group, it naturally
follows that the individual student loses
his personality in that of the group. And
it is we'll that this group lif" should b.
attractive. that ii should have such IN
enormous concentrating force. Without
the society and assistance Of his fellows
4 college student would accomplish very
little. A man apart and with no interest
in common with other men is of very
little value. So, | say. ii is well that tn,
group life of the college is attractive. for
otherwise some of the most importan,
parts of 4 college education would be lost
If Il choice must be made it is better t..
corgrcgate than to remain aloof.
y, But between the two there lies mean
To secure the highest possible benefits
| from his college course 4 man must b,
n member of the group, he must have i
part in the many and varied interests OF
| the group: but. in addition to- this he
must have another existence above, be
yond and apart from the group. The
group life is :, process of lcVclinr, of av-
| ~ of fair development. l;ut that is not
I he ideal of II college education. That
ideal is not only to maintain III" charac-
ter OF the average but also to dcvclor
| 10 the highest efficiency the talents which
have beer given to exceptional men. ano
in addition to develop in those who ear
never he leaders enough of independents,
that they may become intelligent follow
crs. With both of these ideals gr,';y;t-
robustness seriously conflicts. To lac n pro
GrcSSive and useful leader or Il diSccrninG
and independent follower, II man must
have an individuality. Both of these po
SitionS college men should fill, and in St
far as their education units or fails t.
fit college men TO be either of these
leader or follower. it is sadly rcfcicnt
This Independence of thought is sadly
lacking here ut Epwdoin. as i'll most other
colleges. Too often COURSES are picked
mainly for the reason that others talk,
them. not b"caGS" the individual student
has any interest or adaptability for the
courses II" elects. Nor" than this. tho
courses which give opportunity and in
deed compel i,y each student individual
work ar" almost abandoned by the stu
dCut body.
We are al interested in the well being
of this rOlicg" and in everything which
Will work to its advancement, and thor.
is no one thing today which d"traCt
more from the benefit of her trainin,
than this Lack of indcpcnd"ncr ON tn,
part of the individual student. The fIcul
ty have it in their power III various WAYS
to alleviate" this influence and are. so do
inr. I;ut effectively Ia drive it out needs
til" coop, ration of all. Faculty. alumni,
friends and undergraduates must all con