The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1910-11-10

"~s'os Noiic6c uuyb Will De unlIOTIu-
lily self-dehying, high minded, indus
trious, when American society il
characterized by self-restraint and
simplicity OF life.
But in fact our riotous material
prosperity has got into the hands Oh
modern society like a strong wine. ID
there not too far an inversion OF VAL.
ues In much Of our present day think
Ing? Is not the final test OF the con-
duct OF life too generally put In the
attainment Of happiness? Is not this
the secret Of large part OF the self
indulgence which is so fully charged
to the colleges?
But the philosophy Of happiness as
the main end, modern pseudo-epicu-
reanism, Is totally fallacious Happi-
ness as an immediate object OF pursuit
Is a will-o-the-wisp--it is the end Of
the rainbow--lt Is anything you please
which signifies what crumbles In the
grasp and vanishes away when seized.
The true standard OF life, then. Ia not
the attainment Of happiness, but obed-
fence to duty and honor. This is al
ways within the limits OF the attain
able. Happiness belongs to the realm
OF tomorrow. Duty Is with us now,
and honor is the breath In the nostrils
with each heart beat. Happiness may
or may not come to one whose life Is
under the sway of a high sense OF
duty; whether indeed such a one at
tains happiness Is question wholly
secondary. A sense OF living an hon
orable life. II not itself happiness. Is
ut least good substitute for It. Life
is worth living. with or without ma
terial success. II indeed II Is a life Of
duty faithfully done And the bright
est promise In our modern age lies In
those, within or without college walls,
who grasp this conception OF the main
, values OF life and are seeking to rem
Ider service rather than to grasp at
qualification Of the senses.
Here. then. lies the function OF the
lcoilcge-to keep inflesibly true to the
ideal OF intellectual attachments as ia
worthy aim. and to set self restraint
and honor above pleasure as a just
standard OF life. The college thus
will do its part towards that revival
OF the fine spirit OF chiyalry which is
the salt that keeps sweet any society
worth preserving al all.
! have been speaking. as becomes
the occasion. OF the college. not Of
the university. The latter, II II ID a
cluster OF colleges. as We often find.
has al bottom this same fundamen-
tai aim. Quite commonly. TO be
sure. there Is q second purpose In o
university OF this class, the fitting
OF the student for some specific func-
ton in life. But this adaptation,
valuable as II ID, by no means Ia
adequate to the best social results
unless the basic idea OF college edu-
cation 10 also preserved inviolate.
The engineer Is an important factor
In economic progress. But the engi-
ner who fails 10 realize acutely the
honor OF his profession, who for a
moment consents 70 tarnish that
honor BY connivance with dishonest
contractors. or who In any other way
puts immediate personal profit above
fidelity TO professional ideals. is not
better. but far more dangerous 10
the community by virtue OF his
technical education. The graduate
OF the Law school also Is fitted at
much cost OF time and money 10
enter on an honorable calling. The
political organization Of the state.
and the rendering Of justice between
man and man, will lie always in the
hands largely OF the legal profession.
The lawyer who scrupulously heeds
lofty sense OF duty TO the public.
rather than TO a paying client. Is OF
enormous value TO the society of
which he IL member. The legal
shyster Is an eruption on the body
polite. an indication OF poisoned
hlood-in short a mere nth disease.
So with an professions the trained
professional man who In worth while
keeps always In mind the best In
splration Of real chiyairy. noblesse
obIlge.
The university OF the higher type.
that which. like those OF Germany.
and some In this country, have the
graduate schools as their essence.
are under somewhat different condi.
lions. They take the college gradn-
ate. whose character should be form
ed already. and devote their energies
TO making him q specialist In some
field of science. The problem IL
quite different. and must be APP
preached In quite a different way.
THE university. ar We are of late be.
ginning 70 understand 1t, IL one
thing. the college another.
But the college has vital func-
fion In oil our states. A II per.
forms that function well. the genera.
tlon In whose hands the control OF
society will shortly pass. can be
trusted 20 make its day better and
soundcr and more rcplete with the
things which make life worth living
than has been any past are.
congratulate this college, then.
on ia opportunity for a priceless
service to North Carolina and TO the