Evening journal., 1908-06-12
NEW ELEMENTS
IN COLLEGE LIFE
Discussed by Professor Scott
of Princeton at the Friends
School Commencement

The mediocrity of intention and char
acter Of American university and col-
lege life was presented as a note Of
warning by Professor William p. Scott,
Ii. D.. of Princeton University, to tho
twelve graduates Of Friends School at
their commencement exercises in
Friends Meeting House, Fourth and
West streets. this morning. DR.. Scctt
also alludbd incisively to the American
lack of seriousness and sense Of duty.
A large assembly filled the auditor
ium Of the Meeting House. which was
decorated with daisies. red roses and
palms The platform was occupied by
Principal Herschel A Norris and Dr.
Scott. The exercises began at 1880
o'clock. Immediately after the ASSEMBLE
Ing Of the graduates In the forepart OF
the auditorium and a silent prayer
Mr.. Norris then introduced in turn
the commencement speakers. all Of
whom smoke on timely topIcs. They
were; Rachel Wilson Lindsay,
''M1ristPelsy in Medieval DAYS." Clay
ton Douglass Buck. "Electrical Pro-
gress;" Clement Woodruff Miller,
Municipal Efficiency" Joseph Henry
Shaw "Democracys Demand on the
Patriotic Citizer;" r. Worth Doan.
International Arbitration"
The presentation Of diplomas was
made by Mr. Norris after the gradu-
.ate's addresses, and he then introduced
DR.. Scott. DR. Scott at the outset de,
plored the mediocrity, not Of ability, but
of intention that characterized the
American college. and this he attribut-
ed 10 the breaking down Of what he
termed the 'Brahmin cast" in Amerl-
can universities.
Change in College Life.
This mediocrity Is largely due 10
the change in the college population"
he said. students have grown faster
than the population. A new element is
in college. an element made up Of the
sons and daughters of those who are
not college graduates In a certain
sense this is very gratifying. for It
shows the awakening to the value Of
college training. But the lack Of
tradition in the families from which
the great number of college students
now come makes them utterly unable
to grasp the opportunities that are af-
forded them. II is not a question of
money or social position. II is the
elimination OF the Brahnin cast, rich
in intellectual tradition and moral
seriousness. The difficulty of colleeg
life is thus the assimilation Of this
news @tment, and Il makes one earn
estlY desire to say a word Of warning
to those about to enetr college.
zone Of the dangers of the large institu-
tion is that of being swamped in the
crowd, Of yielding to the tyanny Of opinion
and custom. on weak characters
there Is nothing so utterly demoraliz-
ing as this In college do not waste
your strength in fighting non-essen-
uals, but reserve your strength to take
your stand like a rock on principles.
What you lose In popularity you will
gain in respect The bane of Ameri-
can undergraduate life is the lack Il
seriousness. In Europe the student
takes his work with the utmost SER
iousness. Even In the schools of idle
ness, as oxford and Cambridge, so per
cent Of the students are taking honor
courses.
I'VE have NOT begun to feel in this
country the tremendous stress of in
dividual competition, but we are pay
ing for this relief In the happy-go-
lucky methods OF the students in our
colleges. To an extent undoubtedly,
the lack OF appreciation OF their studies
on the part of young people in this
country is their failure to see their
bearing on practical life.
The greatest lack of American life
is the deficient sense of duty and let me
implore you not TO countenance II. The
spread eagleism and national self-sat-
lsfaction OF 100 or 25 years ago, however
Is not so general now. and that our
boys are beginning TO realize our prob
lens have been indicated in their ad-
dresses this morning.
The Graduating Class.
The graduates of 1908 are as follows.
William Henry Baldwin, Clayton
Douglass Buck, Philip jackson Car
penter, T. Worth Doan, Helen Merit
Duerr, Thomas Henry Latlmer Jr
Rachel Wilson Lindsay, John Lynn. Jr.
Clement Woodruff Miller, Joseph
Henry Shaw. Esther Kent Smed'ey
Herbert II Ward Tr