The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-01-10
The Professional Gentlemen

AHN FtSiCooteNdA 6NHAtNM|H
Dr. John NJ. Thomas has been
president of Middlebury college
little over a year and in that time
has done more for the Institution
over which he has been called 10 pre-
side it is probable, than any other
educator in New England; and dur
ing that period he has also won
place among the foremost men of
Vermont. He is that most happy
combination of types. a practical
idealist and the shrewd common
sense of his New England Yankee
forbears.
AS a public speaker Doctor Thomas
takes high rank, both for the manner
and the matter OF his speeches and
Vermont audiences have learned TO
expect something timely and whole
some from every speech that he
makes. In his address delivered at
| HOlyOke, Mass, Friday evening he
dealt with New England's education
al problem and New England's needs
i'm the course of which he said
Il am not forgetfu that in urging
more practical and Immediately use
full endeavOrs upon the college / am
running counter TO Judgment widely
held, and falling under the rebuke
of men Of great reputation, President
Butler has said of late
There is. too, a curious inability
or Discrimination on the part of many
college reformers to see the neces-
sity of furnishing minds and charac-
ters for the simple profession of gen
tleMen. The generous and reflec-
tive use of leisure and the passing
Of many an hour in the friendly com.
panionship of the literature of all
time or of the best literature of oui
time are occupation enough fol
some fortunate men. and society is
poorer when those whose tastes ant
opportunities lead them in this direc
tion are tempted or driven else
where. The cult Of the will has gon,
far enough just now for the good o
l mankind; it is a futile and empt!
t will that so often finds noisy and ir
4 ritating expression
!. Nevertheless ! do not retract
r occurs to me that the title of gentle
, man is a signal honor when it 4
= worn by one who renders humanit.
e good service in the pulpit or at tn
e bar. or even-as may be the case
beside the workmen's bench Blu
e the profession of gentleman is a mis-
S cradle profession and the 'generou
}. and reflective use Of leisure as
o serious occupation is additionally al
d occasion for Satan
e II would rather my one Vernon
I farmer clearing his $50 per acre thai
o all the professional gentlemen in tn
l. country 1t is because We allow ou
n selves to cater to the reflective us
T OF leisure and there is many
y freshman who would warm his sou
at that eXpression-it is because W
indulge in that dilletante view of III
I object of college that we have los
, to some degree our grip. on the carr
est folk who have made New Ems
land what she is and for that sam
reason they have lost some of IN
virtues of their fathers which the
: can lily do without For the uniye
= sity as for the individual there is on
= way to eminence He that would b
=. great among YOU, let him be you
. minister"
:, What wholesome and refreshin
= words are these We want gentl
!, men-God knows we have too few {
: them-but we do not want profe
4 sional gentlemen. England has ha
n her professional gentlemen for ce
10 turtles and that country today is
,t the midst of a desperate polite
N struggle designed TO compel thes
q. landed gentlemen, who have nheri
N. ed vast estates, and have refused
m sell homesteads to men 'of low d
N gree, to bear something like the
No. fair share OF the burden of taxatio
M President Butler does not apply h
definition to the noble profession
ne letters. TO the men and women WI
Nv study the masters of literature Tia
or they may be able through proce
of mental and moral assimilation,
sv give to the world some new MESA
is es in essay or history, story or son
NJ IL is simply genteel name for id
H. ness and the world has no place al
st no use for the idler who is able to
at his share of the worlds work.
or In some parts of the West extrer
radicalism often springs up like 4
nahs goard during a night. In I
East we are inclined to go to t
other extreme. and hold too tens
mt iously to old customs and ideas Y
re. look with some suspicion upon M
methods and new principles. Tod
a new spirit is beginning to make
self felt in Vermont and througho
New England We need young m
who will preach and practice the
new principles a great deal mo