The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-07-10
PRES. LUrHEn,s PHILOSOPHY.

PRES. LUTHER'S PHILOSOPHY.
The city of Springfield in the State
Of Massachusetts,, attracted doubtless
by the unique personality of President
Luther Of Trinity College, which adds
the power Of the man in public life
and the clergyman to that created by
the stimulus Of educational leadership,
invited him to deliver the Fourth Of
July Grafton there this year. With
characteristic generosity he consented.
1t Is q good thing for all who either
heard what he had to say or have
since read his address that he did so.
ut must be said Of him as of ether
men, even the greatest, that while it is
not always possible to agree with him
he sees to 1t that what he has to say
provokes lively cerebral emotions in
pthers.
President Luther laid down the broad
and convincing proposition that in the
public schools is being decided all the
destinies Of the great republic which
we love SO deeply and for whose well
fare all good men in the churches and
pulpit, consciously and unconsciously,
send up their most earnest prayers"
ut Is his conviction that "Our greatest
danger comes from ignorance and not
from scoundrelism." These words come
with particular force to the people of
the schools has been under such earn
est consideration. Obviously when Pres
tdent luther uses the term schools"
y he means the teachers In them. The fin
est school building the genius of man
may conceive, the most acceptable
desks and seats and all the rest of the
paraphefnalia which 60 to make a
schoolhodse are Of no value whatever
unless those in charge Of the chill
dren who use them are men and women
Inlay be regretted that these qualities
Of mind and heart come into intimate
contact with the practical ways and
means Of life, and that dollars and
cents have to be considered in acquir-
ing them, but 1t is so. If we are to
leave to the schools, as President-Luth-
er tells us we must, the shaping of the
future leaders Of public thought, then
we must be sure and not undervalue
the service we require from the teach
ers. The public schools will not decide
the destinies Of the great nation If we
hire teachers on the reprehensible the
ory that there are always sufficient
number on the outside awaiting en-
ployment to take the places Of those
who for pressing personal reasons re-
sign.
President Luther did not explain why,
but he stated that the great lesson he
has learned from his experience in the
State senate this year Is that of his ''un-
fitness to deal with legislative problems"
He has found that having been develop
ed along other lines in themselves abb
sorbing and profitable, he lacks the
talents necessary to aid him In the
discharge Of public duties. This ems
phasizes in his mind the great need
there is of educating the children care
fully In the public schools from the
point of view of working out the de-
stinies Of the nation and Of opening a
career to those inclined to follow it in
the public service. Said President
1uther more in detail: I'VE exact a
license for the man who controls a
steamship or g locomotive, In many
States for the man who drives the
automobile We will not let man
practice medicine or surgery upon our
bodies unless we are satisfied that he
knows something of his profession.
Lawyers are jealous that none shall
be admitted to the bar who are ignor-
ant OF legal practice. Teachers must
pass some sort of an examination. The
5ourneynen in any trade must have
served period Of apprenticeship, or
something equivalent thereto But we
intrust the mighty destinies of COM
nonwealths and of the nation to men
whose capacity for such task is abb
solutely unknown, to any man who, by
reason of circumstances, is likely to
have friends enough to elect him,
Surely this is wrong; surely 1t is
amazing that we should have got on
as well as we have under such sys-
5 tenn
We have no doubt President Luther
sees clearly into the future when he
predicts that in the years to come the
public viii recognize politics as pro
fession and go to the man of expert
ence in public life for the necessary
advice and counsel as people now q
TO persons who know and can impair
the information they are in search Of