The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-06-22
BY ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.

mites.
The average resident east of the AL
leghenies is, no matter what the de-
gree of his cosmopolitanism, apt to
be more or less of provincial SO far
as his conception of his own country
is concerned.
This is evidenced in a thousand
ways.
But in none more flauntingly in this
city than in the alleged address made
by the imported gentleman at the re-
cent high school commencement
In the first place the length of the
thing was inexcusable.
Any man, outside of Congress or Of
a political convention, who will talk
one hour and thirty five minutes about
anything to anybody is fit for nothing
but permanent retirement into the dis
card.
Especially when interlarded with
moth-eaten, dog-eared old jokes that
have been floating round since Noah
built the ark
Evidently this distinguished educa-
tor had made no preparation.
Merely began improvising after he
reached the platform for the benefit
Of the Hoosier yahoos.
He said nothing.
Made no particular point.
Maundered on and on and on, waded
round in the morass of his own inepti-
tudes, clutched here and there at an
occasional straw, uttered flabby plati-
tudes, handed out a feeble brand of
humour and in short, was one of the
worst old bores who ever hit the town
in this or any other capacity.
When a man is invited some thous-
and miles to make a speech let him at
least try to make good one.
And if he doesn't succeed, he'll be
respected for the effort.
People will say-"he meant we'll"
To be sure nothing much more
damning than that can be said about
anybody since it implies a dead fail
ure.
But 1t has mitigating note
To take it for granted, however, that
the assemblage you have been invited
to speak to is made up of a set of YER
dant and unsophisticated idiots is to
lay yourself open to comment of a
varying nature.
Nobody in Connecticut has any
right to assume that anybody in Rich
mond, Indiana, will sit through an
hour and a half of vague and platitu-
dinous vaporings with any degree of
gratitude.
audiences of Connecticut and those of
Indiana and if there is the odds are
in favor of the latter
The farther West you go the more
enlightened you find the average COM
munity.
People 'Out west"-whatever that
may mean since the far east" is real
ly to our extreme west-read more
discuss more, mix up more and are
generally invested with more intel
lectual vivacity and red blood interest
in affairs, than people on the other
side of the mountain line
You've got to be mighty interesting
and mighty authoritative, or mighty
entertaining if you're neither. to hold
the attention or impress with your
personality
On the other hand there are GER
tain courtesies to be observed.
Certain surface conventions to con-
slider.
If you are invited to dinner or an
10
to appear in pajamas.
There are certain formal occasions
and commencement is one of them.
Especially if held in the evening
The Superintendent of Public In
struction of this state who was invit-
ed over to award the diplomas wore a
light summer suit and shoes. Nor evil
look the names of the graduates over
since he stumbled and halted and got
them wrong and mixed up.
Altogether the visiting gentry made
a bad impression on the Richmond
public. AS little as this is the boasted
art center" Wanted by the supposed
elect. neither is it Podunkville.
A>opOuS iuduAS any UOuy lOT COMING
to a party at his particular house
dressed any old way
If you're having big party you want
people to put on their best clothes
and come looking like they thought
we'll of you.
You don't want 'em sneaking in the
side door arrayed in their last sum-
mers outfit
In the present organization of soci-
ETY. the social convention must be rec
ognized.
If you don't conform you are placed
without the pale
Where you possibly don't belong.
When Superintendent of Instruc-
ton Greenhouse appeared in his care
less array he gave the impression Of
either ignorance or neglect or frank
disregard
A commencement means a lot to its
participators.
The graduates feel more deeply
their final separation from school than
they are given credit for
To them the event looms large.
And they are chagrined by the care
| less attitude of others of their world.
| Consideration for the other fellows
! point of view is never lost.