The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-08-04

It's ideals and cognizant OF its proper
sphere In our educational policy. alone
can give. AS LONG then as foundational
work Is needful in education the
college VIII have "a large and important
place TO fill in preparing men and wo
men for life and opening up to them
the possibilities of larger success
Ana tho power OF the college is con-
ditioned on its rightly performing the
task we have outlined for it, The task
oil dong the foundational work. d work
that is not so spectacular as that of
building skylights. minarets. and fancy
gables, but more necessary and funda-
mental without exception The real
claim OF the college TO esteem and
respect is the sense OF personal power
II generates in its graduates. There
is no denying the fact that In the man
VINO has spent four years In college
Is developed a personal power he could
nave mad In no other way HIS per-
sonality has been enlarged and he has
been charged with power by coming
in contact with the many fields OF
Thought ana action covered By the
well planned college course Herein
lies the real difference between the
man with college training and the man
with special training alone The col
legc graduate has personal power. the
special school graduate has special
power.
The Medical College generates medi-
cal power; the Law School legal power,
the Mechanical Institute. mechanical
power. but the college yields that eX-
quisitc product. personal power. 1t is
well for us to have personal and spec
ial power both. and we ought 10 have.
but we should steadily recognize that
personal power. without which man
nd Il 4 arf q
cannot be had except through thor
ough college training. where the hui
manitics well as the prlct!caiities
and specialitles of life arc insisted upon
and the human soul expands in ful-
ness under tho magic thriu of world
culture as It becomes a part and par
eel of the individuals equipment Tor
life.
But personal power is d dangerous
weapon In the hands OF an irrespon-
sible man. a giant. when ID mania,,
is much more dangerous than a dwarf,
who is maniac. Personal power is
desirable. provided it is rightly used.
We had far better have no personal
power than to have it prostituted to
base. ienoble ends. That IS why We
Christian people have balded and
equipped church colleges because
we wish the personal power "a college
ends l deplore the tendency fast be-
coming fixed purpose. on the part
of certain rich men. to remove college
education from the influence OF religion
our country Will be in sore plight
II these would-be philanthropists ever
set their way. For in tina event they
do. the personal power generated by
college training. without the safe
guards with which religion surrounds
this new energy, WILL in interestingly
more instances. be desccrated and
prostituted 10 the worlds undoing
The denominational colleges Of our
land have worthy nlaco--the founda-
ton they of our educational spstem
and generate a much-neodei power
personal power-which they generate
with such safeguarding. Under the in
huence OF the church. that they prevent
1t from becoming menaciur aud des-
tructive force Truly arc our Chris
tian college the backbone OF our
prosperity, now and in the coming
years.