The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-08
$ The American College of To-Morrow"
Abstract of Inaugural Address by President Henry Louis
Smith, Washington and Lee University, Delivered
Yesterday at Lexngton

5ssln accepting these symbols of an
efiicc ENROLLED by the great men
whose lives and labors are our most
pseeeious heritage. L wish. knowing 80
Z Hssell, my own weakness and INSULT
4 cheney. TO invoke for the new admins
traeion the divine wisdom which guild
4 cd Washington and Lee and jackson
In their mighty labors. and the divine
Messing, without which VIC build our
l,cuse In vain. Having spent my life
In college teaching and adminstra-
Z lion, L prefer to make of my inaugural
address, not an abstract educational
discussion but a clear exposition of
q definite aim. and well-defincd
program for the future development of
Washington and Lee.
AZ all educators know, our univer-
sisy consists OF two parts, closely and
tremendously affiliated. yet pedagosi-
Gtily distinct, a professional school of
law with most honored and fruitful
history, and typical residential
american college, articulating with
Tie four-yoar high school and attempt
ing very little graduate work. 1t is
with special reference TO tho latter
that / take for my subject. The Amer
lean College OF To Morrow
The American college OF to-day IS
between the upper aud neither mill
stones. The German American univcr-
sity has now become the home Of
scholarship and research. the profess
sional schools are steadily crcroach
ing upon the four-ycar college period
from above. and the American public
high school. with marvellous growth
and iimitless resources, is absorbing
tho freshman and sophomore years
from below. Meanwhile a ceaseless
stream OF hostile critics lament the
decay of scholarly ideals. tho idlencss
and degrading vices of the campus
the dominance OF athletic and social
activities. and the hopeless an;agon-
ism between tho ideals and hero wor
ship Of the student body and the
official bcstowment of college honors
by the faculty.
II the American college is TO repeat
in the twentieth century the inesti-
mable service IL rendered TO American
civilization in the nineteenth, il must
recognize tho dawn OF a new era
bring this period OF turmoil and read
justrcnt to a close before its place
is usurped or its validity weakened,
and rcshapc its aim and function to
he needs and tho call of new social
and civic order.
The master word OF the eighteenth
century was liberty, or the nineteenth
knowledge The master word OF the
twentieth blends both into richer
AHA nopicT iucdi. IL Is cltlHcnSnlp, the
keynote Of new era In which human
duties and the rights of others shall
take precedence OF individual liberty,
and the power OF knowledge and the
gains OF research shall be dedicated
10 the common good.
Let the American college answer the
call OF tho new century, and take
as her mission tho ira ming OF leaders
in the realm OF American citizenship
Let her typical graduate be tho ideal
American citizen, trained not only to
know, which is scholarship: and to
appreciate. which is culture: but also
to be and to do. which is manhood: -
OF virilc and vigorous mind as OF
yore but OF virilc and vigorous body
ms we'll, energetic. resourccful. high
minded, sympathetic. able to manage