New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-03

Of living Is larger life. The only return that
satisfies is the unfolding OF those capacities ana
powers which bring larger world within me
range Of appreciation and enjoyment, so that
the greatest possible good one can get from
living is always identified with the largest pos
Stble development of himself. This Is the truth
which Is forgotten or denied when the supreme
desire and effort directed to material ends.
Abundant life IS no. the same as abundant prop
erty. The rich man may be a great man. and
often is by the test which we are applying; or
with all his wealth his world may be intellectu-
ally. ethically. spiritually, too small even for
comparison with that Of another who. without
wealth. rejOiCcS I'm the liberty OF large and
abundant life. The range of our interests, our
sympathies or our satisfactions is the meas
of bleSSedness the extent of the good
which get out OF existence.
Now what Is the relation of education to this
unfolding OF life2 I do not speak of education
in its broad sense. which makes it but another
form OF expression for this very development
but | use the word COnVentlOually defining a
system of instruction and training limited to
the period of youth and identified with certain
places. better term for it would be school
life. What is or should be the relation or the
school to the development of life itself? We do
not disregard the relation of the school to the
so-called practical affairs, but II is not neces-
sary to prove that in this age Of general intel
lgenCe the worlds work demands trained fac
ulties and developed power OF thought. More
important Is the personal charm contributed by
a well informed mind and cultivated natural
gifts. There can be no question that all educated
man woman in the accepted sense is more
delightful companion. attractive by reason OF
gifts and graCes that appeal to us Consti-
tuting subtle but real superiority. There Is
no truer more generally recognized mark Of
distinction. But ability to make ones self agree
able or sought after is not the worthiest end OF
the study and discipline of school days Still
more important because vitality connected with
our higher interests is ability of another kind
altogether which l would define as ability to
appreciate and TO choose the best things. II Is
this which, moro than anything else leads to
the gradual unfolding of life and so determines
the highest mission of the school To make this
relation the more clear. let me remind you that
our lives are regulated consciously or uncon-
sCiously. by the law of exchange. Every day.
every hour, each of us is exchanging what he
regards inferior for what he regards as SUI
perior. This law is absolute and determines
conduct and character, the nature OF enjoy
ments, the direction and range Of life. If actual
values were to govern our exchanges, we would
all move steadily upward. but matter of
fact it is our estimate OF values that determines
our choice, and because of false estimate many
sacrificing the higher for the lower. l have
said that this law of exchange IS absolute. We
obey II as perSstently the heavenly bodies
obey the law of gravtation. From the begin
ming of human history, freeman has ever for
of greater value for what he thought to be OF
less value Money is the great medium of eN-
change. What man gets for hts money is
a unfailing test of his estimate OF relative
values. This is true whether he has much or
little. Every dollar that he spends tells what
he regards at the time worth most 10 him.
The same is true of time. which Is another
time shows infallibly what he values. While
there are no exceptions to this rule we are
doubtless best able to appreciate its significance
when applied to time and money in excess Of
that required for the absolute necessities of
exists9sa The use Mhish ons psksA. e these