Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-31
Or. Eu0T'S TALK TO THE BOYS
TELLS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
OF THEIR OPPORTUNITIES.
Those of Washington, He Declares,
Enjoy Advantages Above Their
Fellows in Other Cities

Taking his theme what a Boy Can
Get Out of High School,, DIR. Charles w.
Eliot. former president of Harvard Uni
versity, addressed several hundred boys OF
the Washington high schools in the as
sembly hall OF Central High School early
yesterday afternoon. DR.. Eliot was ac-
corded an enthusiastic welcome by the
boys. the teachers and others present.
Superintendent of Schools Stuart pre-
sided and made brief speech In intro
ducing DIR. Eliot. On the platform were
also Asst. Supt. Hughes. Emory Wilson,
principal Of Central. and the members OF
the board of education. Mr.. Stuart made
reference in his introduction to Thomas
Jefferson. the first director OF education
in Washington and founder of the Uni
sversity of Virginia. DIR. Eliot used this
as his opening theme. He said:
Thomas Jefferson, that magnificent ed
ucator and molder of American history,
had great and far-reaching influence on
education and our times. He saw far
ahead of any of his contemporaries es-
pecially in the educational line.
Washington Boys Big Advantage.
You boys here in the high schools OF
Washington have privilege that not
many of the great mass of American chill
dren have, although / am happy to state
that the opportunities are being broadened
every year, especially throughout the
south, where the school movement has
taken wonderful strides i'm the past ten
years.
What can a.boy get out Of high school?
If his studies are chosen Alright and his
application real he can get everything. In
the first place. he can get the power of in
tense application, which will be Of inesti-
mable value to him through life. He can
acquire what We call inhibition. the power
II shut out eXtranecus matters and to
concentrate himself upon the matter in
hand.
I'm the second place, he can acquire
that great aid, a better and more per-
fected use of his senses-that is, his eyes.
his ears, his nose and his fingers. He can
learn to handle them one and all accu-
rately and to the best advantage. Courses
are provided to develop each and every
one of his senses Laboratory work is
provided for these purposes
"A boy can also gain power of express
sion from his high school course. This
Is most desirable to man. In order to
accomplish This the boy must do things
for himself, and not merely absorb as
we did in the old days, what some one
else had done. Let the boy write, read,
recite, play and sing every day. This
new movement of teaching by having
the pupil doing, by individual expert
ments. as it were, is the secret Of mod
ern successful education.
Learn Something of Everything.
1T is often great secret of a boys
success that he can do something that
gives pleasure to, others. Learn some
thing about everything, but get an in
innate knowledge about some one thing
at the same time. 1t is this that en-
ab1es some boys at college TO get into
the swim and others seem neglected by
their fellows.
You boys should gain here in high
school a general broader outlook on hui
man life. This you can do by the study
of history and literature, the study of
what Goethe called the stream of the
world Study the hopes the fears and
the aspirations of the grea- people of
all times and nations. Study the Strug-
giles and progress of the human race.
THE greatest progress by far has been
in the last century. and this because we
have learned the scientific method Of ar
irving at the truth. BY this study you
will increase your appreciation of the
present. of the difference between right
and wrong. between honor and dishonor.
But it can only be acquired through
grasping your opportunities here and by
prolonged education.
Led by Supt. Stuart, the boys gave DIR.
Eliot vigorous cheer of hanks.