The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1906-12-13
AN APOLOGY FOR GOING
TO COLLEGE.

may do better than go to college
Some years ago had to decide
whether | should be a hereto, OF
adhere to tho ancient faith that /.
is a mans part to swing a larial
or dig in the mines in the summer
time, and then dance and play
pool in the winter. As | lived in
country town, few of my asso-
ciates were enthusiastic over the
advantages OF college education
The older portion of the commu-
nifty were doubtful. AS one OF
the conceited old farmers put it
II don't want my son to go to col
lege, because it would make him
too nice to work. Others in
sisted that college men get out
of lots of hard knocks and make
easy money, but as a rule are
kid-glovcd individuals, of no prac
teal use whatever in the every
day affairs of life.
But to every young man win
starts out to compete with hi
associates in the intellectual
rena comes occasional pointc
.olilloquies like these: What
he use of going to college
will get no good or inspiration
rom it. All will be drudgery ant
| will be compelled to give up IN,
present pleasures. No moro
smoking. no more billiards, NJ
more good times. And, after all
what will come of it; never
want to follow a profession and J
an already write letter. What
10 care for history? OF what
rsc is grammar except TO teach
er? And, in fact, how will bot
my and chemistry ever help {;
fellow to make dollar? It's nc
use. \ college training is not
practical. Then why not stay al,
home and take life easy
And so a great many young
men listen to such prompting'
md arc satisfied with their pres.
cnt conditions. TO a few, how
ever, the very forces of their ma
lures cudgcl them on to college
Such do not go TO college to get
out of work, to make money more
easily, or in the hope of bccom
ing president of he United
States. Their inherent love for
knowledge spurs them on, and
the riches they seek consists il
learning to do something and dc
it well. The demand of the coun-
try today is not so much for
scholarship as for effective serv-
ice. Utah needs men and women
who arc not afraid to work and
who will work with enthusiasm
Ability is the one crying need OF
the hour. In every city there are
dozens of FIVE and ten thousand
dollar year positions to be
filled, but the only applicants are
men who want a job at two dol
lars a day. Your man of ability
has a place already.
1t is to college graduates that
the nation looks, and has a right
to look. for its future intelligent
sons and daughters, who, having
been the recipients of the states
charity, should return to the state
ten-fold what the state has given
to them.
When at home felt that the
avenues of usefulness opened to
me were few. | had a mind and
two good hands by which had
CROPPED my way to the frontiers
of knowledge. In college there
might be stretches of desert, but
If YOU must pass through a des-
ert to reach the promised land,
set forth bravely, and the hard
journey across the waste places
shall give strength to your feet.
We derive benefit from the things
we do not like, and do neverthe-
less, because they have 10 be
done. Necessity teaches patience
and obedience.
More than ever before in the
history of the world, men and wo-
men are expected to have an in
telligent understanding of bust
ness, of politics, of all the practi-
cal problems of our modern life.
The college man learns to CO.
operate with others, and that
means he learns not TO have his
own way. Experience in college
activities teaches him the right OF
his companions to freedom of
thought and action. By throwing
himself into college affairs ne ac-
quires the habit of rendering in
telligent and efficient service to
others; so that when he gradu-
ates he becomes a practical force
in the world, and a responsible
member of society
The uneducated man today is
at a great disadvantage. No mat