The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-03-29
CR|[DS CHOICE
Of A VOCATION
Dr.. Hoben Says There is
Little Real Intelligent Sc
lection Made Now.

DR.. Allen Hoben Of the University
Of Chicago. who has been hero the
past few days for the. purpose of de-
livcring the annual series OF Hazlctt
lectures. was the speaker at convoca-
ton in the university gymnasium this
morning. He had for his subject 1.-THE
Boys Choice Of a Vocation and he
said in part:
1T is practically impossible to ov-
eremphasize the Importance of the
boys vocational choice. Next to his
attitude toward his Maker and his
subsequent choice OF Il life partner
this decision controls his worth and
destiny. For it is not to De supposed
that play. with all its virtue. its
worth and exercise Of nascent pow
ers. n its happy emancipation into
quatelN motivate and permanently en-
the energies OF youth. Until
some vocational interest dawns. edu-
cation is received rather than sought
and will-power is la1ent or but inter-
mittently exercised. Play has a great
orbit. but every true parent and edu-
Gator seeks to know the axis Of a CIV
en- life.
Little Intelligent Choice.
For some boys presumably of high
school & and over. this problem be-
comes real and ~engrossing. but for the
vast majority there is little intelligent
choice. no wise counsel. no conscious
of the profoundly religious
question OF how to invest ones life.
n children Of ease graduate but
slowly. If at all, from the good time
ideal. while the children OF want are
nr1fro r31y. Hsy{tIo,sk % -. g. Al-- IL
of work. But for all. heing permitted
and helped. both seek and find their
proper places in the ranks of labor.
life becomes ~constructively social and
therefore self-respecting. To be able
to do some bit of the worlds work
Well and to dedicate ones self to the
task is the individual right of every
youth and the sure pledge of
social %solvency. Ideally an art inter-
in work for its own sake should
cover the whole field Of human labor.
and in proportion as each person
a task suited to his natural abil-
ny and is we'll trained for that task
ices he HIT himself from the grade of
mental OF a pauper and enter into
conscious and worthy citizenship.
Here then, as in the case of the
mating instinct, the vocational quest
rightly handled forces the ego by it's
very inclination and success into the
altruism of a social order. For It is
insists. the vocationally dormant,
defeated. and those who, however
successful. have not considered such
choice as an ethicai concern Of re-
ligion that make up the a%nti-social
classes OF h present time.
Hence this problem of vocational
which is so agitating the ed
ucational world comes home to the
minister in his work with youth. It
be that he shall find new and
practical use for the maligned doc
trine Of election and that he shall
place under the intelligent and heav-
emily commission the ideals and hopes
OF later adolescence. At rate
the life career hinges, there the
expert should be on hand.
For what profit is there in s~ociety's
vast investment in early and compul-
sorry education il at the crucial time
OF initial experiment in the worlds
work there be neither high resolve
nor intelligent direction nor sympa-
thetic coaching into efficiency:
Not Only One Suitable Work.
But the Importance of vocational
cnoice e not Il upon the doubt
lui Imposition that there is one and
oASoN ldSh IOr a. given
youth. Probably there are grouns or
of activities within which the
constructive endeavor may have han
n progressive expression. Nor.
from the minister's point of view. is
economic aspect Of the problem
paramount. It is true that an in
Of $4,000 working ability
study and wise placing and
1t Is true hat the sanction of public
is to return 10 the state a
socially solvent citizen who will con-
triDute to tho common welfare and
VIII than pay his way; but the
Immediately religious importance of
ms commanding interest consists in
me honest and voluntary for
counsel on the part OF the youth him.
"'' 'iini-
Another splendid feature Of the
at co%nvocation this morning
was the music rendered by Ernesf