Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-16
Says Character, Through Culture,
Is the Goal"
EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY
Efficient Industrial Training Alone
Is Not Sufficient for Complete
Life of Colored Man.

CdSlOfl, the liSti sal > III Ga 80
stitution, he said. suggests the theme. tn
meaning and mission of education 1t
! fitting that we consider the aims an
ideals in modern education, and the piac
and mission of Howard University II
the higher life of a race.
Continuing. D.. Thirkield said:
1t was Herbert Spencer who, about tn
! time of the founding of tn s university
! startled the educational world with tn
question: What knowledge Is of mos
WORTH The answer. involving VIVA
| Bacon called the relative value o
| knowladges" has changed the face o
modern educa ton. 1t has given trut
place to the modern sciences. history
economics, sociology, philosophy. ltera
ture and physical training, alongside o.
Latin, Greek and mathe mates, which
| once held exclusive sway.
What is of Most WORTH
What knowledge, then, is of most
| worth? We answer. the knowledge thai
can be wrought most effectively into tbs
fabric of life; that VIII ennoble and
strengthen character: that will equip mar
for his place and part in the real work
of the world. We plead. then, for an
education that can be translated into
action; that, through cultured powers,
makes for higher living and larger eff
ticiency; an education that will make bet
ter citizens: give bette homes and chill
dren; an education that will improve
physical and moral we'll being; that will
arm against intellectual crazes, political
frauds and social follies: that will give
sanity, breadth. vision, progress. power.
In short, the aim In higher education
is to develop men.
cd Iifn cball no raiipiOuS
in the sense that all life at it's best is re-
lgious. Sabatier says man is incurably
religious. Kidd has shown that religion
is the most persistent factor in soca!
evolution and progress. You cannot have
education without morals and moral life
is grounded in religion. True education
must be permeated with religion. catho-
lie, tolerant, real; on the basis suggested
by George Macdonald. Life and religion
are one, or neither is anything. Religion
is no way of life, no show of life, no
Observance of any sort; it is life es-
sential."
Make the Application.
Let us now apply these principles and
ideals to the education of a race.
The needs and claims of the negro for
such an education as will draw forth
the entire man to his best is grounded in
his humanity. The demands of modern
sociology are for "a social consciousness
that shall be characterized by a three
fold conviction of essential likeness of
men, of the mutual influence of men and
Of the value and sacredness OF the per-
SON"
Every man has In him values above all
market price. This Is the democratic
ideal. Democracy bears living witness to
the capacity of the downmost man. There
are IN American history numberless ex-
amples OF the fact that the common man
has stored up in him uncommon powers
for highest life and service of men. Lin
coin, Grant, Douglass are only con-
SpiCuouS examples.
Howard University stands for just this.
1t simply opens to any man of any race
the chance to unfold the best and divinest
that is in him. 50 fa- as broad educa-
tional opportunity is a help to this end.
End Is Not "Smartness."
While we make strong plea for the
higher education. we believe with Presi-
dent King in his great inaugural, that
nothing justifies the extraordinary en-
phasis on the intellectual as the one aim
of education" The end in education is
not simply smartness, but character,
moral virility, goodness. usefulness. Man
hood along with scholarship: character,
through culture, Is the goal. With search
for truth shall be Joined reverence for
of conservation to duty and to manly I'M
selfish service in the rough, hard work
of life.
A liberal education is thus far more
| than a training In mental strength and
acuteneSS. 1t makes for moral character
| endurance and the adoption Of every
capacity and attainment to the service OF
man. Any other sort Of education Is rot
ten at the core.
Serfdom and Suicide.
For a rising race, over 50 per cent of
whom are engaged in agricultural and
manual tasks. to ignore the value and ne
cessity of such training means in the end
economic serfdom and Industrial suicide.
Fortunate is it for the nero that several
of the best equipped technical and trade
schools m the nation are open to him.
More such centers are needed for the
growing millions. And this race Is hon
ored in a leader who has impressed the
educational thought of a nation by his
practical application of the principles of
industrial education. In the interest of
educational progress and practical eff
cheney Howard University gives to every
student in preparatory and normal courses
some discipline in manual training. But
let US emphasize the fact that while eff
ficient, industrial training alone Is not
sufficient for the rounded and complete
me OF any people, It - essential that all
men be trained to make a living
The supremacy of mind, the domination
of spirit which alone can lift the COM
mon tasks to the level of the noblest
ideals; the call for the liberation of the
higher energies of the whole man; the
broadcast discipline for the exceptional
men and women as leaders and helpers
of their people in the larger life must also
be empha sized For this Howard Cniver-
sity stands.
If the negro race is to come to real
freedom and true spiritual rover and
progress; if it IS ever to find its place in
the kingdom-which Is not mere meat and
drink, but Righteousness. peace and Joy,
in holiness of spirit-there must be a
body of elect men and women trained to
large knowledge, bread vision and lofty
spiritual purpose. who. as teachers and
moral leaders. shall lift the standard and
lead their people out into the larger life
Education Involves Obligation.
But may this elect tenth" never for
get that education involves obligation
that their election is not to privilege alone
or to mere place ard power above men.
but rather to service and sacrifice for
downmost man.
Basis of Largest Life.
In this spirit should the mission of How
ard University to the higher education of
a race be conceived and carried out To
such institutions is committed the prep
arat.on of the teachers. preachers, physi-
clans, lawyers and moral leaders of a
| No 10 N-h cal