The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-04-06
Y-SEC-
OND MEETING
The Friday Evening Gibbs
Most Vigorous Year In
Its Annals.
PRESIDENT ELIOT'S ADDRESS

The seyenty-second meeting Of the
Friday Evening club was a notable
event in the history OF that institu-
ton, as it had the honor Of entertain-
ing as a guest one of the greatest men
OF his age, DIR. James Eliot. for MANY
years the head Of Harvard college.
Another gratifying feature Of the
meeting was that the club inround-
ing out its year was in better condi-
tion than ever before.
Philander B. Pierson, ESQ. for the
nominating committee presented the
names of Rev. William Russell Ben
nett. Francis G. Woodman and Ed
ward @. Keasbey as members of the
board of directors, and they were
elected. The amendment to the con-
stitution making the annual dues SIS
per year instead of S4, was adopted.
The secretary, Mr.. D. F. Barkman,
said that the executive committee had
decided to keep within the prescribed
scope of the club, and to have only
thinkers and workers to address it
from the various fields of research,
and the majority of the members
seemed well pleased with the meet
ings, though it was not always possi-
Bile to please everyone. The club had
a special field of work and interfered
with no other, rather helping all.
The treasurer's report showed a
balance in the treasury, with no liza
bilities. The entertainers this year
cost 5000 more than, last year. The
secretary's report showed total at
tendance at meetings of 3407, al
though because of inclement weather
but 155 were out at the February
meeting.
President Butler then gracefully in
troduced the speaker, Mr.. Eliot, who
was received with continued applause
In his opening he strongly COM
mendation of the work of the club and
said its future was certain if 1t held
fast to it's ideals He also held that
no instruction was good that was not
mixed with enjoyment.
\ gTis subject was "The University in
Iz2Aierican Life and it was treatsd
broadly and comprehensively, describ-
ling the foundation principles of mod
ern thought and tendencies
The American idea Of university
is something new in the world, he
said, differing from European ideals
The fully developed university pro-
vides adequate training for all profess
sions, new and old.
AS an instance, the latest addition
at Harvard was a school for business.
administration.
He pointed out the need and value
of this as the result of the develop
ment of business methods and CON
ceptions, and said that it was meeting
with great success. A university to-
Justify its name must prepare young
men for all intellectual, ethical, So
cial callings.
The university also made feature
OF investigation and research. 1t
sought to discover little bits of addf-
tional information to add to the sum
OF human knowledge This was not
a narrowing but widening process,
making for general culture, owing to
the present method Of research which
had been greatly developed the past
ten years.
The first element of the new method
OF discerning truth was by observa-
ton. This was followed by grouping
the faces observed, then by recording
the same and finally by accurate linn
tied inference, they arrived at gener-
alizations.
Truth never had been reached and
could not be. They had never reach
ed the goal and could not get there.
but they had learned the way to it
and were reaching toward it, and
that was enough for any man.
DIR. Eliot next took up the effects
produced on American life by the uni
versities. He said there was a great
change taking place IN regard to the
position of all professions and indus
try and society were now depending
on the technical professions absolute
ly. He gave some excellent illustra-
tions of the changes taking place in
the preparation for life, and said that
hereafter the professions would lead
the country, in the industries, in So
cial life and governmental life. There
was coming new setting for the
stage of the human drama.
He said that the tendency was to-
ward more interference by collective
society with what we have regarded
as the rights of the Individual It
was the only way to protect society
from evils, new or old. In Massachu-
setts, for instance, society could go
into mans orchard or lot to destroy
the gypsey moth. It could not be
successfully overcome on the princi-
pie that every mans home is his cas-
i tie
He thought there was no reason to
dread this tendency.
In the saying "All for one one for
all" more stress was now being put
on the latter clause, which was as
true and important as the frs.
He also spoke of corrupt govern
mental bodies and the Influences
forming to counteract them and said
that improvements came from the
top, not the bottom.
The universities were trying to gain
on the great ocean Of ignorance ana
to make humanity better and, because
better, happier.
This afternoon and evening DR..
! t.k l.. - -.