The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-06-26
WOULD GIVE A LIBERAL EDUCATION TO FARMERS
The Catholics in the United States Not Exertng Influence
in Proportion to Numbers Owing to D
... Lack of knowledge. q

Archbishop Ireland Of st. Paul de-
livered the commencement address tol
the students of st. Joseph's college.
Dubuque, Monday evening June Ia. The
Archbishop dwelt upon the necessity
of higher education for Catholic young
men and the growing need for ma
tive American priesthood. In part he
said:
Two things read In st. Joseph's
college, most honorable for the diocese
of Dubuque. most significant of it's
future. Those are that the Catholics
of the Archdiocese understand the i'm
portance. the necessity OF giving to
their sons a high intellectual train
ing, and that they are willing and able
to beget native priesthood for the
spiritual guidance of souls. and the
leadership, in all the many pursuits.
spiritual and temporal. to which priests
of the church are bound w their vccs-
Etion ttadevots thernse9ves. g.
. Catholic, ,.iip1rsffs; should have this
ambtion-to;andbtv their sons With, a
liberal education; eide these will re-
main In the rear ranks Of social adj
vancement. knowledge. the old adage
says. is power. 1t is power: Ito do
we'll the work set before ones hand
high or low ar that, work may be. It
is power to rise above ones surround
ings. to put opportunity to profit. to
WELD influence, over ones fellows, to
serve ones faith and ones country. to
do good. to win honor and position.
The man with an ordinary stock of in
tellectual culture will be the ordinary
man in the army Of the worlds work.
ers; he will not be the distinguished
man: he will not secure to himself the
sweetest enjoyments Of life. those of
the higher part Of his nature: he will
not be the great defender Of truth and
| Justice.
men of slight schooling have grasped
fortune. have led their fellows in many
battle Of industry and even of states
manship. Look closely irto facts; such
men, wherever found. were exceptions.
They were men who we're gifted with
specially favorable opportunities, who
mental effort for the deficiencies Of
early education; who. whatever their
feats, should have accomplished those
feats In higher degree and with more
happiness to themselves, had they re-
ceived in their youth a liberal educa-
tion. am aware of this other OBJ
uplifts men from the work they are
likely to be. called upon to follow, un-
fits them for the toll and strife Of the
humber walks of life across which the
very many must tread. forms them in
to theorists useless for the practical,
which is ever a condition OF success.
Let the few, 1t. is said, enter. If they
wish the halls of colleges, or Of uni :
versities; the many should shun their
portals. To this latter objection an
swer, the, education propose-an edu-
cation Of mind and Of will. a we'll
rounded, purposeful education-pro-
duces no such results, gives room to
no such fears. The true. education,
and no other should be impaired In
colleges worthy Of the name, teaches
men the practical side Of life, the duty
to be faithful to the every day work
before them. while at the same time
it endows them with ability to under
stand we'll and perform we'll this work
and, while doing 1t. to look ahead for
opportunities to do yet higher work
for self and for. ones fellows.
j The intelligent. well educated man
; will be the better farmer, the better
, worker in industry, or in commerce
the better lawyer or physician. the bet.
ter salesman or clergyman, simply be.
cause he is the more highly educated
man. And certainly the more highl!