Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-25
rHE PRESIDENTS TRIP.
= CONTINUED from Page One.)

Aha p1ayerS without the SilSnteSt ne
o..sitv ever arising to so much as con-
s;1er the question of abolishing it.
There is no excuse whatever for col
&c failing to show the same capac-
a., and there is no real need for con-
.;aaring the question Of the abolition
=, ,he game. If necessary let the coll
- authorities interfere to stop any
-coes or perversion, making their in
.e-terence as little officious as possible.
- vet as rigorous as is necessary to
.ohieye the end. But there is no
modification for stopping thoroughly
sonIv sport because it is sometimes
ahused. when the experience of every
a,od preparatory school shows that the
abrse is in no shape necessarily at
tendant upon the game.
We can not afford to turn out of col
,soe men who shrink from physical eff
fort or from little physical pain. In
INV republic courage is a prime ne
.sssity for the average citizen if he is
IN be a good citizen; and he needs
.nva;cal courage no less than moral
courage, the courage that dares as well
90 the courage that endures, the cour-
600 that will fight valiantly alike
.vainst the foes Of the soul and the
toas oe the body Athletics are good,
esnecially in their rougher forms, be-
cause they tend to develop such cour-
ore They are good also because they
encourage a true democratic spirit; for
IN the athletic field the man must be
,udped not with reference to outside
and accidental attributes. but to that
coordination Of bodily vigor and moral
ouality which go to make up prowess.
T trust need not add that in defend
ing athletics l would not for one mo-
ment be understood as excusing that
neryersion of athletics which would
make il the end of life instead of mere
" means in life. 1t is first-class,
healthful play, and is useful as such.
Rut play is not business, and it is a
very poor business indeed for a col
lage man to learn nothing but sport.
There are exceptional cases which L
do not need to consider, but disre-
parding these | can not with sufficient
emphass say that when you get
through college you will do badly un-
less YOU turn your attention to the
serious work of life with a devotion
IN nav much heed to sport in the way
in which it is perfectly proper for you
10 nav heed while in college. Play
while you play and work while you
work. and though play is mighty
good thing. remember that you had
better never play at all than to get into
a condition of mind where you regard
play as the serious business of life
or where you permit it to hamper and
interfere with your doing your full
duty in the real work of the world.
A word also to the students. Ath-
letics are good: study is even better:
and best of all is the development of
the type of character for the lack of
which, in an individual as in nation
no amount of brilliancy of mind or OF
strength of body will atone. Harvard
must do more than produce students;
yet, after all. she will fall immeas-
urably short of her duty and her op-
portunity unless she produces great
number of true students, of true schnl-
ars. Moreover, let the students lemem-
Der that in the long run in the field of
study judgment must be rendered upon
the Quantity of first-class work pro-
uuCtu III Tie way VI productive Stii'i-
arship, and that no amount of second
class work car atone for failure in the
college to produce this frst-class work.
course of study is of little worth if
II tends to deaden individual initia-
tive and cramp scholars so that they
only work in the rutS worn deep by
many predecessors. American scholar
ship will be judged, not by the guam.
tity of routine work produced
by routine workers, but by the
small amount of first-class output IF
those who, in whatever branch, stand
In the first rank. No industry in COM
pilation and in combination will ever
take the place of this first-hand oriSi-
nal work, this productive and creative
work. whether in science. in art. in lit
erature. The greatest special function
OF college, as distinguished from
Its general function of producing good
citizenship. should be so to shape condi-
tons as to put q premium upon the
development of productive scholarship.
Of the creative mind. in any form of
Intellectual work The men whose
chief concern lies with the work of the
student in study, should bear this fact
ever before them.
So much for what l have to say 10
you purely as Harvard men. Now,
word which applies to you merely as
applies to all college men.
70 all men in this country
VINO have received the benefits
OF college education; and what I have
70 say on this topic can properly be
SAID under the auspices of your POliti-
cal Club. You here when you gradu-
ate will take up many different kinds
OF work; but there is one work in which
all OF you should take part simply as
good American citizens. and that is the
work of elf-government. Remember,
III the first place, that to take part In
the work Of government does not in
tne least mean of necessity to hold Of
fee.
II means to take an intelligent, dis
interested and practical part in the
everyday duties Of the average citizen.
vi the citizen VINO is not a faddist or
ooctrinaire. but who abhorS corrup-
uon and dislikes inefficiency; who
N'shes to see decent government pre-
vail at home. with genuine equality of
opportunity for all men so far as il can