Franklin's paper the statesman., 1911-07-01
FIRST ANNUAL
COMMENCEMENT
National Religious Training
School Scores Big Success.
FEATURES OF THE EXERCISES

ina Exercises OF Well Governed In
stitution Founded by Or. J. e. Shop
ard-Every Race Must Have Its Own
Leaders. Says judge Stafford.
BY GEORGE FRANCIS KING.
Durham, N C.-The first annual
commencement of the National Reli-
gious Training school recently held in
Durham was one of the greatest edu-
cational events among the race ever
held In this city. The standard and
scope of this institution were evidenced
by the men of national reputation IN
attendance. The growth of the school
was a startling feature to the many
prominent visitors of both races from
many sections of the country. The
exercises began with the annual musi-
cal, which was attended by large
number of music lovers from all parts
of the state and was conceded by
musical critics to have been a high
class affair.
The baccalaureate address was de-
hvered by the Rev. DR.. Augustus p.
Record. pastor of the Church of the
Unity. Springfield. Mass. DR.. Records
subject was the Unfinished Task"
Many people. conspicuous In educa-
tional and religious spheres. attending
the oratorical contest of the institution
said that for the first years work OF
training that was remarkable and
that the proper conception Of the possi-
bilities for the great and farreaching
success Of the plans of the founder
and president of the institution were
evidenced In the work Of the contest
ants. The address to the undergradu-
ates by President James e. Shepard
was also a pertinent feature Of the
exercises.
The address to the literary societies
was delivered by DR.. P. W. Few. pres
ident Of Trinity college in Durham. He
spoke in part as follows:
am always glad to come into contact
with single individuals or a whole people
who have great tasks before them. espe-
ciauy If they arc willing fairly and fear
iessly to confront their great tasks- Cir
cumstances have set before you the hi8h
task of building in a short time and under
surroundings of q well developed society q
worthy civilization Of your own. There
case unique. There II nothing else Just
like 1t in all tho world Then. too. you in
Durham are making unusual eforts. with
extraordinary success to work out tho
problems OF your destiny.
And you are working out your destiny
here under peculiarly favorable condi-
tions. for / am sure that the relations ex-
isting between the white and colored races
In Durham arc better than I have OBJ
served elsewhere in America. To help
your race forward and to improve these
good relations between the two races il
an opportunity for which this institution
ought to be most grateful In thoughtful
minds one misgiving about American edu-
cation arises out of the feeling that in our
system Of public education too little direct
effort II being made to produce soundness
of character.
This IL the fruit of right education that
10 most difhcult to set about cultivating.
1t il. l think. the immense difficulty Of
the task that has caused It to be neglected
and failure to appreciate the fmpor-
tance Of 1t. for / take 1t that everybody
regards character as the supreme thing in
men. Yet this supreme thing in men II
still treated az only an accidental by
product OF American public education To
give this supreme thing the ascendant
place in education il the work yet to be
done in America, and It can only be done
by the combined efforts of teachers who
parents who demand that in the training
of their children the first thing should be
put FIRST, and those two forces must be
backed by courageous public opinion
that can estimate moral as Justly as 1t
estimates material values.
feel especial interest in your school
because. as ] understand it. you are hero
really setting the fruits OF character high
above every other consideration and be-
cause you seem to see clearly that per-
sonai and national character must rest
upon a religious basis. The fundamental
organic committal of this institution to
the Christian religion and to the moral
causes to mankind constitutes its main
source Of power and gives 1t its chief op-
portunity for service to the American peo-
pie.
The annual commencement address
was delivered by Justice Wendell
Phillips Stafford. associate justice su-
preme court of Columbia. at which
time three young ladies received their
diplomas from the commercial depart
ment. His address was one of the
most inspiring ever heard in this city.
He said In part:
This school was born of the realization
of this deep TRUTH that every race must
have its leaders 1t is not enough to pro-
vide for the average man. You must pro-
vide likewise for the exceptional man
You must encourage leadership. You must
see that those who by nature and ambi-
ton are calculated to lead shall be by ed
ucation and discipline fitted to lead wise
ly. Every race will have its leaders. The
black race will have its own. We cannot
prevent 1T But we can see to It that they
are we'll trained. We can see to It that
they shall be filled with true ideals of
service.
The time has gone by when you could
put the human mind into q dungeon. The
instinct for something better is uncon-
querable. Men will have light They will
have their share in the fruits OF tho
worlds progress. No dead weight OF op-
position can ever keep down the mighty
instinct OF growth As Wendell Phillips
was fond OF saying. '"The tiny weeds OF q
luxuriant Italian summer upheave the CO.
iossal foundations Of the Caesars palaces
and leave them a mass OF ruins" Where