The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-02-24
THE STUDENTS
MISSION
Prof. Lord Delivered an Interesting
Address to the Students Of the State
University Yesterday Afternoon
Words Of Timely Advice.


University Yesterday Afternoon
Words Of Timely Advice.
The mission of students who fill
Cur educational institutions is prim-
arily to promote the intelligence of
the communities wherein they reside.
Sanitary conditions are well cared for
by boards provided for that purpose.
Committees meet to discuss the best
methods and means to promote health
and happiness. Similarity our morals
ere not neglected. The people assem-
Bile to consider the moral and spiritual
well-being of society. Societies are
organized for that purpose. But how
about the intelligence of men. have
heard of communities engaging in the
discussion of moral and sanitary con-
ditions, but l have never known
people to meet and discuss the de-
gree of intelligence that prevailed
among themselves.
Primarily then your duty and your
mission is to develop intelligence
among the people with whom you
must live. In our business struggles
and efforts to promote moral welfare
we must not forget the great element
of intelligence. The trouble is not
with our hearts but with our heads.
Our hearts are strong but our heads
are weak. Your mission Is to develop
this intelligence, to teach the people
with whom you associate to think and
by this means we will have much less
wrong doing. Our sympathies for the
most part are ready enough in re-
Spouse. Most of us laugh and cry I'M
der the same circumstances. Men
there are who could have the audience
laughing one minute and crying the
next. John B. Cough could do it. But
few can make the same audience think
about the same thing for ten minutes
at a time. Educate men to think and
their sympathies will go out on the
proper occasion. If we are sympathe-
tic it is because we are not right In
the head. Much has been said about
the school teachers problem. That
problem is said to be the dull boy or
girl. But say the boy or girl with
touch Of genius is the teachers pro-
blem. We are doing wrong in spend
ing nine-tenths of our time as teach
ers in trying to educate those who
cannot learn. We have neglected nine
tenths of our pupils and students;
wasted time and misspent energy on
the Ounce and the scalawag. What
farmer would spend nine-tenths IF his
time cultivating barren field? The
same economy may be applied to edu-
cation. When the burden of educa-
ton becomes heavy, which are we go
ing to sacrifice, the Ounce or the bril-
liant boy? Certainly better the Ounce
or scalaway go than ten or twenty
brilliant boys. We are putting too
much time on mediocrity and too little
on genius, perhaps because we teach
ers are only mediocre ourselves. We
must admit that more good will come
from helping the student with touch
of genius to realize his possibilities
than from propping the Ounce whose
possibilities can be small indeed.
say the mediocre student has my SYM
pathy but l consider it my duty to
spend more energy in developing the
possibilities of the brilliant boy.
Our state universities have been
termed goddess schools" have met
people who lament that our schools
are without religion. In my exper-
fence the agencies that spread these
ideas are the denominational schools
and their adherents. Bible study in
the schools does not constitute re-
ligion. 1t is the conduct of the teach
ers that makes the indellible impress
upon the lives of the students. Ger
tainly there are rascals turned out
Of our state universities; but they
were rascals when they came. Rascal
ity was either in their nature or it
was encouraged by early environ
ment. You need never be ashamed
of attending an undenominationa in
stitution. The morals of the state
schools compare we'll with those of
any other schools, and that is con-
sentative statement. 1t is not the want
Of religious form and ceremonies that
make the goddess schools" 1t is the
inner religion so exemplified in our
conduct, and the standard we set those
who come within our influence, that
makes for morality.
Chicapo News. Apv ,,nucuo1 no;coc