The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-02
CONF|0EH TONE ], ON S!l[k MARtsS HRakness Commencement
 peful yAuspicious DIPLOMAS GIVEN 94 Graduates Make Attractive Appear ance in Caps and Gowns-Jolly
 Reception Follows Exercises
 in the Auditorium
DIPLOMAS GIVEN s4

in caps and gowns, were the exposure of all eyes last night at the central High school, and 95 high school careers closed under the most memorable of circumstances. Dr. Phillips referred to the graduates withs pardonable pride as "Birminghams best'' and there was none in the large audience who would have ventured a denial.
 Eightyfive were graduates of the Central High school. 25 of them boys. Nine were graduates of the Ensley High school five of whom were boys. The large crowd of wistful alumnuses, fbnd parents and others who attended fast night were well paid for their trouble. The commencement address, de- livered by Charles William Kent, Ph. D., LL D., IN2fessor of English lit- erature at the University of Virginia, was declared unanimously to be one Of the most refreshingly original yet scholarly bits of commencement oratory .'within the recollection of the oldest inhabitant"
 Enjoyable as was pr. Rents splendid address, there were not lacking other features to season the proceedings. Vocal solos by Wyatt HefIin and Miss Annl6 Lou WOOu, lno ieHulllOl ol tilc class song by the departing future great men and women, Dr. Phillips pre- sentation speech to the graduates-all these were heard and witnessed with great eagerness.
 Following the exercises in the audi torium the heroes and heroines of the evening adjourned to the gymnasium, wnere the annual reception was ten- dered the graduates by the Board of Education. It was here that the glad lsndshakings of congratulation placed the final crown of glory on the brow, figuratively speaking, of the class of 1911.
 Ideas and Ideals
 Ideals and Ideals of Education" was the topic of the brilliant address of Dr. Kent, and his treatment of the subject furnished food for reflection as well to the older heads present last night as to certain others on hand. nhe address was comprehensive of edu- cation not only of the present age but of all time. Five species of edu- cation offered basis for the discourse, these being education for the church, as typifed by the studies of monks of the dark ages; education for the court, as fostered by royal patronage; edu- cation for chivalry, as sought by the medieval knights for cultural pur- poses; a education for commerce, prompted by the desire of gain; last ly, education for citizenship, the mod eri method of training.
 Education as pursued by votaries of the church, declared the speaker, had as it's ultimate Q ai m in VII sirable only from its selfishness. Learn ing encouraged by the kings of the middle ages for the power which it of fered. Knights wanted education for the sake of the culture 1t brought. Seekers of material gain desired 1t for the reason that it offered the shortest cut to sue cess. Finally. the greatest aim of educa- tion in the present century is equipment of the young man and young woman for citizenship.
 Education Is Grit
 What is education? we well may ask" said pr. Kent. "It is the power, briefly stated, of sustained attention to disagree able tasks. It is nerve it is grit; it is energy. If we educate our young man for the high purposes of citizenship ru such an extent that public office means to him only the joy of service, then the young mans education has been glori- ous success If he seeks out tasks be- cause it is the hardest in view, the great est obstacle to be removed, then, indeed, were his years of schooling well spent. Just as truly, education may be said to be power of adaptation to environment. A well developed home life should be the greatest evidence of an educated national conscience, yet sad to say in that respect we are most deflcienct, for we have the worlds worst record for broken homes.
 Education as I see 1t. should be four squared like the pyramid. First, the body should be trained for we live in strenu- ous age and neglect of the human ma chine means breakdown later in life. Second, the mind should receive It's share either of these, the moral character de- mands the more cal sful nurturing.
 Ringing Forever True
 ''What we seek in education is character than rings eternally and forever true.
 "The fourth side of the pyramid is that province of education whose purpose lr is to provide us with the faith and out look on immat.rial things; the spiritual insight necessary to a well-rCunded life. Who can show me love and hate, or the other abstract qualities? Without tlain- ing in this respect, 1t appears, educa- ton is robbed of half is usefulness. What we need in this biindly rushing ma tcrial age is something which can lift Us far above the moil Of commerce and the temporal pursuit of the dollar. l am an ideast, a theorist If you VII l seek vision deeper and broader tha that which we now may lay claim to.
 To Live Life
 And I should like to say In closing to the graduates who occupy the rostrum tonight, there are three things you must take into consideration in starring out in earnest to fight the battle of life Any one can make living, if he be indus trious. What you want to do is not to make living, but to live life. The knights of the days of chivalry went out upon quest for the deeds sake. for the kings sake and for humanity's sake. So you should seek to get the most of life's good things, for life's sake. for human T0n lTT m nl RnnITn