The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-06-17

the high school or preparatory
school, and the university.
ut Is not so much the business OF
such a college to make scholars, as
to add to the usefulness and value Of
life. When ! use the word scholar
II Is In sense that / am sure no
one will misunderstood. Scholarship
In that sense, means attainments so
extensive as usually to imply a ca.
reer or life work.
The Modern University.
"The modern university is provided
with facilities for helping young men
lay the foundations of scholarly ca.
reer in many fields. including also,
the so.caled learned professions.
"As respects their courses of
study, our best colleges are now rap
idly conforming to certain standards.
am very glad to congratulate you
of the graduating class upon the very
high standards to which you have
been held here at Marietta. Remem-
Der, however. that high standards for
admission to college are important
chiefly because they form part of a
process of selection. Their value lies
in their helping college to bring
together a body Of young men best
fitted to profit by the opportunities II
gives, and most likely to develop
that power for right thinking and
wise leadership that our American
society must always need for its
maintenance and progress.
I'VE have certain famous institu-
tions in this country that set the
mark for admission to the freshman
class very high. Once admitted, the
students live and work almost as
they please. In such institutions real
college life is so lacking. or Is pres
ent in so small a degree, that excres-
cences upon college life spring up,
and unwholesome tendencies spoil
what should be pure atmosphere.
The situation becomes dominated by
exclusive Gets and snobbish cliques.
''It is not only possible In our
smaller colleges to discourage these
things that destroy the fine and sim.
pie spirit that should prevail in every
student body, but IT is also possible
to extirpste such tendencies at their
very beginning.
college life Is good for the indi-
vidual young man precisely In so far
as he himself makes II good. The
great colleges do not give the average
arl, Cttph lncirah hl q
chance to get the benefit Of college
life as do the best Of our smaller
colleges. The exceptional young man
can, indeed, find his way through the
big college even though there is no.
body to guide him. He can form his
own habits of industry, even though
there are no standards set for him
as at West Point, where every mans
movements must be regular and
quick.
The four years spent in college
can and should be years OF splen
did growth in power and In fitness
for life. It Is because of the greatness
of the opportunity that the college
career affords, that ! hope to see
eliminated from our colleges all ten
denotes that destroy simplicity and
unity and that divert students from
what is hest to things that are In
ferior
Thus the college training ought IL
fit man for the fundamental duties
and pleasures Of private life. Further
than that, the college life ought tc
At every young American for taking
his part In the concerns Of the com
munity. From the very nature of its
origin, your own Marietta college
has borne a marked and well-recog
nized relationship toward this kind o
training for public usefulness. 70,
have had capable and distinguished
teachers, who have recognized the
needs of our political life"
Training For Civic Life.
Mr.. Shaw expressed the opinion
that the best opportunities for th'
college men are at home. He hat
great respect for the country physi
clan, and the country lawyer. H,
added:
Il have high opinion of the po
sition OF the country newspaper, will
it's marvellous opportunity to build II
self into every useful and wholesome
concern Of its town and county. Th'
country editor can help the ministe
to preach good conduct and higl
standards of living. He can help thu
lawyers and the courts to keep orde
and mairtain high standards OF Jus
tice among men. He can help tn,
physicians to train the community II
public and private sanitation. He cal
help tho teachers maintain goo'
schools. He can take a worthy par
In the political life OF his town an
county and state. He can help bull,
up the material and business re
sources of his neigborhood
'tTbe best profession Of all In tn
light of modern science Is the venel
able profession Of farming. II re
quires more knowledge than bthers
and has at least as high dignity as any
1T Is not true that the trusts an
corporations have shut the door o
| cl portunity, or that ther ewas eve
better time than our own. All tina
our young college men need Is to b
perfectly willing to begin life whsl