The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-12-18
THE PILGRIM FATHERS AMN|v.
And tho Influence Upon Education the
Theme ut Fortnightly Club
meeting.

the wild New England shore" and the
program was certainly in keeping with
the purpose. The first paper was by
f. w. Wilder who dwelt on the causes
leading up to that memorable voyage.
as we'll as the historical narrative of
the migration Of the colony to Hol-
land where religious tolerance was at
it's best because of the fact that Will
liam the Silent needed men of strong
character and indomitable will at that
time and he was sufficiently wise not
to inquire too infinitely into their con-
science. Here it was that the longing
for the flag under which they had been
born revived and being aliens In
strange land they became homesick
for a land where they could rear their
children in their own beliefs and with
out molestation. 1t was the age of
intolerance in religious beliefs and
freedom of conscience was not known
outside of Holland. They began nego-
tiations with the London company,
and having secured the necessary
grants. the voyage was made which
laid the foundation for the transform
alton of wilderness continent into
the paradise Of man.
President Merrifeld read a sketch
prepared by himself IN his college
days giving picture Of New England
life, stern, honest. Industrious. mar
row, pathetic, patient. Mr.. Green fol-
lowed with some original verses in
spired by the sight of visitors at Ply
mouth Rock.
The principal address was made by
Prof. Squires of the university on
THE Pilgrim Fathers and Their In
fluence on the Founding Of Education
al Institutions He took the farewell
address of Pastor John Robinson be-
fore the sailing of the Pilgrims as his
text and from that and the records
of the early governors-especially
Governor Bradford-which proved that
among the cherished ideals of this
sturdy crowd was that of the higher
education. Six years after they had
landed in that snow wrapped and
| bleak wilderness the foundations of
Harvard college were laid and for the
first time in the history of the human
race the people voluntarily taxed
| themselves to build and maintain pub
| lie schools. Passing from this phase
of the matter to the other side of the
Puritans, the speaker called attention
to the fact that the sterner side-the
cruel and bigoted side of these peo-
| pie had been magnified in late years
to their detriment. They may have
believed in witchcraft and punished
those whom they believed to be pos
sessed of evil spirits, but they were
seeking light and acted in accordance
with that which they had. They were
ready to accept such when it came,
and they believed that it came largely
through the advantages of education.
1t was this spirit which had made the
intellectual progress of the nation
possible and stamped the educational
institutions of the land with the marks
of twentieth century progress. In his
pro-oration Prof. Squires paid the fol-
lowing beautiful tribute to the Pill
grims:
On the hilltop above Plymouth,
looking out to sea as if guarding the
little bay where the Mayflower an
chored, and the rock on which the
voyage-worn Pilgrims landed, stands
the great national commemorative
monument. Rising On its imposing
pedestal of granite is the heroic figure
of faith, measuring forty feet from
head to foot, the largest and most i'm
pressive stone statue in the world. In
one hand she holds book; the othel
hand is uplifted as If in welcome to
light and truth, and the calm face
and peaceful eyes seem to give evil
dence of inner purity and trust.
have seen other great national
monuments. l have stood by the
huge arch of triumph which Napoleon
erected at the head of the Champs
Elyses in Paris to the glory of the
arms of France. have gazed in ad-
miration at the great national denk-
NAL of the German empire which
from the heights opposite Bingen
keeps its eternal "Wacht am Rhein,"
as it looks down on the wide and
winding river
Whose breast of waters proudly
swells
Between the banks which bear the
vine,
And hills all rich with blossomed
trees,
And fields which promise corn and
wine,"
But never have | been so thrilled nv
any other monument of mans making
as / was by my first view of this glor-
ious statue of faith erected in honor
OF the Pilgrim Fathers of our coun-
| try