Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1908-12-16
The College and the Newspaper
Discussed by DIR. Denny

Discussed by DIR. Denny
At the banquet given IN Rich
mond last Thursday night by th'
management Of the Times Dispatch
to the news representatives Of thai
paper 10 Virginia and Nerth Caro-
lima, among the distinguished
speakers was President George H
Denny of Washington and Lee
University. whose theme was 'The
College and the Newspaper" DR..
Denny paid high tribute to the
press Of the South as the greatest
educational force in teaching the
masses just as the college gives Its
higher training to the chosen few.
The following excerpts are taken
from DR.. Denny's discussion of
"The College and the Newspaper:
Il confess that I never particularly
relished the function Of making an
after-dinner speech. There are,
however, several reasons why | am
glad to have this opportunity 10
night.
1 want to say TO the newspaper
men Of Virginia and North Caro-
lima that, in the essence Of the
matter, there are points of sympa-
thy and kinship in the mission OF
the high-minded newspaper and
that of the college. There are
times when each is enga ged in
supplementing, reinforcing and
strengthening the work Of tine
other. There are, of course, points
of difference, in method, in form,
in content, in purpose, and In the
end attained. Tonight desire to
lay the emphasis upon the points
Of agreement rather than upon the
EOlubS VI uluoCcucc.
You are engaged in ascertaining
and reporting facts; 30 are we.
You are engaged in educating the
many along few lines, while we
are engaged IN educating the few
along many lines. You are en-
gagged directly in creating and
fsshioning public sentiment, while
we are engaged indirectly in per-
forming exactly the same service
BY sending out trained men, whe
are to become leaders of public
sentiment in the communities to
which they go. This, as l con- !
,eive it, is one of the highest dq-
les of college men. A great Ger
nan statesman once said: "The
bought and the ideal of the Ger |
nan universities to-day will be-
,cme the thought and the ideal
If Germany tomorrow. That lie
he standard set and the desire
by our American col
eyes.
Lin order to accomplish this end
hey are training men, who not
My know how 70 lead public sem
iment, but who are taught that it
g their duty to devote a part of
heir time to the highest interests
f their communities in social and
co3onic ways, and a part in eli
ninating from their communities
hose influences that :end to thwart
hese interests. The American
ollege has heard the call, and
as gone out to battle for a broad
r intelligence and a scberer dis
ipline of public sentiment and in
his we are the allies of the best
ype of American newspaper.
Your work, if rightly done, is
elping to establish a higher
thical standard in business, in So
lety, In government; so is the
,ork of the college. Here again
our method is publicity. Our
lethod is to train picked men and
end them forth to make warfare
DR. moral right. My plea for col
'ge training is not that it increas-
} the earning capacity, or that it
ontributes to personal fame and
,rtune. My plea for college
reste upon the influence
exerts, directly and indirectly,
pom the individual, upon tie
ONE, upon society, upon Ichurch
nd upon State. Money can be
ade without education.
So it can be made without puri.
, of life, without high character
nd without lofty faith. Horace
reeley was right when he said:
Fame is vapor; popularity an
wealth feeting vanity. G
haracter alone endures. The G
,llege is trying to endow society |
it'll its richest asset: high and l
nohanging ethical standard. In v
lis effort the right-minded news r
aper is its ally. 1t is the glory
the newspaper that In perform b
g this service it can directly /
ach all classes and directly in .
fence all conditions of men. ,
In conclusion, l have just this b
ord concerning the college and
10 newspaper: l
First, concerning the college, ii y
ust stand, as never before, for 4
rvice, as we'll as for scholarship .
must give, as never before, TO D
irsty world the lofty faith, the y
lquenchable hope and the supera. +
'unding energy of the life which
lture crowns. 1t must give to
ciety not merely the man who il
II