The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1909-12-02
OUR SECOND ANNUAL
!. N. c. A. DAY
Two Fine Addresses By
David R. Porter
4 Typical Day at the University of
oxford.

NJ. c. A. day In Skowhegan and our
local Boys club had for its guest,
David r. Porter, International Secre-
tary of the Y. M. c. A. for High
schools and colleges.--the man whom
they all delight to honor.
Mr.. Porter spoke to a large and
sympathetic audience of men and boys
at the Congregational church Sunday
afternoon. He said that the average
Young man impressed him with hts
resemblance to Jesus Christ In one
way it was by his hatred of hypocrisy
and shams Christ found and de-
nounced the hypocrites in the church,
and among the most religious people,
the people who professed to be bet
ter than they were.
There is another class who profess
to be worse than they are. Young
fellows in college are often fond of
telling tough or sporty stories of
themselves and thus tempt younger
fellows to initiate what they have
never done Then there are those who
will not claim to be as good as they
are. They are afraid they will be
counted hypocrites, or become such if
they stand for the principles which
they believe in and adopt in their
hearts and SO the world loses their
influence He quoted with much en-
phasis and effect the text, Let the
redeemed of the Lord say SOL"
He claimed that the great need of
the day was young men with back
bone and manliness to stand for a
strong. straight, clean manhood, the
Y. NJ. C. A ideal. A football player
does not join the squad because he
knows how to play the game, but be-
cause he wants to learn to play and
is willing to put himself under the
coach and Mr.. Porter was willing to
put himself under Jesus Christ to be
coached for the game of life.
In the evening at the Centenary
Methodist church Dr. Geo. Otis Smith
spoke briefly on the Importance of Y
NJ. C. A. work; and E. C. Butler in
troduced Mr.. Porter, who gave an ad-
dress on Life at Oxford"
The difference was noted between
University her and abroad and the
picture of typical oxford day in one
of its twenty-five individual colleges,
showed us the student under circum-
stances almost unintelligible to Am
!
nishes his own room, provides his
own dishes and hires his own servant
or scout" He is aroused to a cold
water bath and inevitable chapel in
the morning; breakfasts in another
students room, or in his own with a
group of invited guests; and after
breakfast sits about the fire, talking
over every subject under the sun, and
always, before the talk is over, COM
ing to the discussion of some vital
topic oxford emphasizes the i'm
portance of the study of men as well
as books and many of her most yalu-
able lessons are learned in her social
gatherings. The Y. Nj. c. A. are fol-
/ lowing out the same plan of education
in organizing Bible classes, groups of
men who get together TO talk over
matters of great moment.
Next in the Oxford day come lectures
or visit to tutor; then comes the
luncheon" conducted after the man
ner of breakfast followed by the af-
ternoon athletics" There are 50
many teams and so many kinds
of athletic work, football. crick-
ct. hockey polo. etc. that almost
all the men find something they can
do; and those who do not play, usu-
ally go out for long walks across
country.
Mr.. Porter spoke of his surprise at
the spirit manifested in the sports. He
had played on team that was badly
beaten by a score of 40 to 0 and was
feeling properly down-hearted in the
American fashion, when, an English
companion in misery surprised him
by breaking silence with, I'VE had a
jolly good game didn't we?' The
spirit that sees good sport in a losing
game and can enjoy being beaten by
superior skill seemed to Mr.. Porter
and his audience, too good thing
for England to keep for herself.
A change of dress is called for be-
fore afternoon tea, with its social
hour prolonged until dinner, the only
public meal where all meet in those
medieval dining halls. From this
meal unpopular with the English
young men who dislike public func
tons, escape Is speedily made to "cof-
fee" In the rooms and more of the
proper study of mankind" followed
perhaps by an hour or two with
books.
Mr.. Porter asked his hearers not to
think Oxford students did nothing but
eat, for on the contrary much work
can be and is accomplished there. The
most strenuous study, however, is
done, not in the term time, but during
The long vacations when the student
retires to some quiet place,-it may
be with his tutor-to prepare for the
examinations held at Oxford at the
beginning of each term.
But the speaker laid special en-
phasis on one lesson learned at the
great University the meaning of the
words An English gentleman" To
the English boys themselves this
name implies the possession of a
sense of honor which makes dishon-
esty-cheating at examinations de-
ceiying one another or playing what
Is called a dirty" game,-almost an
impossibility. 1t Is this lesson that
the Y. M. C. A. is trying to inculate
everywhere and it Is to this work that
Mr.. Porter has given himself.
In his closing words he spoke of
his strong desire that every boy
should be taught that the kind of
Christianity Christ desires for
young man Is Christianity, includ-
ing an all-round development of mind,
body and spirit. He spoke of his own
surprise at learning during his pre-
paratory school life, the, to him, sur
prising fact, that a man could excel
in athletic sports, carry high rank In
his classes, and yet glory most of all