East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1911-02-27
THE POWER OF A NOBLE LIFE

(By Mrs. s. A. LOVELY

We are met here tonight to pay a |
loving tribute TO the great heart and !
mind of a woman, the influence of
whose life has been felt in all parts !
of the world. Ii is we'll to dwell up
on the life and labors of so great a
woman as Frances L. Willard whose
name appears in history among the
honored of our land
I shall pass over her childhood and
young girlhood and shall speak of
her life and work during her mature
years preceding her death thirteen
years ago the 18th of this month
From her father, Miss Willard in
herited her deep religious nature and
unusual powers of thought and
| speech and from her mother, the low
ing quick sympathy of a great heart.
These gifts with her nurture and
training prepared her to meet AID
help the sorrowing, suffering and
sinful. How great she grew in gen.
! tleness, simplicity and trustfulness.
How much of that inner peace of the
Master "radiated in the abundant
warmth, sweetness, serenity and pow
er OF her life and her lifes high am
and great endeavor."
Miss Willard began her public life
first, as a teacher in a little country
school at Harlem, few miles from
Chicago; then as preceptress of Cen
esee Wesleyan Seminary, and later as
the first president of the Evanston
! college for ladies. The first cata-
/ logue published by this college con-
tains q statement from the president,
Miss Willard, concerning her plan for
self-goYernment and among other
things we notice these: THE general
basis of government in this institu-
ton is that merit shall be distinguish
ed by privilege. Scholarship does not
enter into the requirements of ad-
Observation-Disclosures is placed above
all competition here. As demo-
cratic form of government inspires
the sentiment of loyalty to itself and
implies the duty of all patriotic citi-
zens to bring to justice those whose
conduct threatens the public welfare,
so in an institution where the pupils
are intrusted with a part of the re-
sponsibilty. and where possibility of
self-government is set before them,
it is a logical inference that they will
stand by the government of which
they are a part" As a proof of her
just estimate of character and wise
plans for the formation of noble self
reliant women, one of her pupils says:
"Such broad views of life and destiny
as she opened to our sight; such
high ideals of character as she set be-
fore US; Such visions of the heights to
, | rr-nfa frh+ 1li H.. nf hn
deeds we might achieve, and with il
all such a deep and weighty sense of
responsibility for the use we maze
Of, life with its gifts and opportunity,
I have never seen nor felt through the
inspiration of anyone else. 1t was
like living upon Alpine heights to
be associated with her" Who shall
estimate the influence of such a
teacher upon the two thousand young
lives with which she came in contacr
during her connection with this school
For no life
Can be pure in ~ purpose and strong
in its strife,
And all life not be purer. and stronger
4 thereby"
Another friend has said of her:
. . Miss Willard has been to me the
embodiment of all that is lovely and
good and womanly and strong anc
tender and noble in human nature
She is one of Gods best gifts to the
American women of the nineteenth
century. She has done more to en-
large our sympathies, widen our out.
look and develop our gifts than an!
| many or any other woman of hel
time"
After a short time spent abroad
with her friend. Miss Kate A. Jack
d son, she returned to her native lant
and on her way home while visiting
in Cambridge, Mass, Miss Willard re
\ ceived two important letters on tn,
same day. One was from the Rev
DrVsn Norman of New York cit!
Offering her the position of principa
in his elegant school for young ladie
with a salary of $2400, and one from
Mrs. Louise Rounds of Chicago, beg
ging her to take the presidency o
the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union Of Chicago, with an inadequat
salary. This noble-hearted womal
did not hesitate a moment but at one
declined the splendid offer of DR.. Val
Norman and accepted that of Mr.,
Rounds. This was her choice Of
j career and she says: mo words ca
=" adequately characterize the chang
wrought in my life by this decision
Instead of peace / was to participant
10 in war; instead of the sweetness o
home, never more dearly loved thaI
% / had loved it, / was to become
wanderer on the face Of the earth
instead of libraries, was to frequen
~ public halls and railway cars; in
stead Of scholarly and cultured meT
O., / was to see the dregs of the saloo
and gambling house and haunt q
a. shame. But women who were anon