The Irish standard., 1914-06-20

sand. or less than one percent. were
In colleges and universities. Colleges
do not exist for the training directly
Of the masses. but for the training
Of those who are to be the leaders Of
the masses. By this do not mean
that leadership is confined to college
graduates. for facts to contradict
such q conclusion are readily called
to mind. But from the very nature
Of education and the analysis that
has been made of human thought and
achievement. 1t IL safe to say that IL
the college graduate is not a leader,
there is something wrong either with
him or with the course through which
he has passed. The standard liberal
course, of which have given an out
line, has produced leaders for over
three hundred years. The wonderful
development of science and industry
Of the nineteenth century has COM
PEELED a readjustment Of higher edu-
cation, and the number Of scientific
and technical courses in colleges
and universities shows that some at
tention, at least. has been given to
this new development. That the pur-
pose of these new courses has been
largely attained, is witnessed by the
prominence in material affairs OF men
scientifically trained. But 1t is not
Of these material responsibilities that
I propose to treat. After all. won
derful as the development along ma
terial lines has been. such develop
ment is of the things Of this world.
The Catholic graduate is not expect
ed to despise material advantage. but
his abiding interest should rise above
such advantage. To save his soul he
does not need to sell all he has that
he may give to the poor. The coun-
sci Of perfection is wider than the
counsel of salvation. But the Cath
Ollie should not be put to shame by
the Protestant scientist. who had not
the time to make money.
The great obligation which con-
ceive as resting on the graduates Of
Catholic colleges is that Of achieving
the purpose Of their college educa-
ton. and Of realizing the means by
which that purpose may be achieved.
Few are the graduates who do more
than the casual tourist as they en-
ter on the field opened to them by
the gates which their studies have
unlocked. The field is not occupied
entirely by the fair flowers Of liter
ature, the goodly shrubs Of truthful
history. and the stalwart trees Of
sound philosophy. Alongside the
flowers have sprung up noisome
weeds. the shrubs are entangled with
undergrowths Of falsehood and cal
umny, and the trees are hung with
the PARISHES Of untried theories and
the moss Of exploded errors. Too
frequently the college graduate pass
es by the entire field to engage in
the work Of the world, and becomes
completely engrossed in material af-
fairs. When he'thinks of his college
days he is apt to recall only the as
sociations and friendships enjoyed.
His interest in language is confined
to the reading Of the newspaper, the
popular magazine, or the latest SEN
sational novel. He writes nothing
but letters and reports. He has no
interest in history beyond reference
to it for a casual understanding Of
current events. His scientific studies
serve only to the comprehension of
some new invention. and the only
use he finds in philosophy is to
throw light on some present social
or economic question. This criticism
is true Of the college graduate in gen.
eral, and does not exclude numbers
of graduates of Catholic colleges.
Such graduates do not live up to the
responsibilities entailed by the priv
tleges Of a Catholic education.
There is, Of course, a discipline
that is acquired through college
course apart from the actual know
ledge that is acquired. Indeed, the
classical name for studies is disci-
pine. But valuable as the discipline
may have been, the studies have a
value for their content. and this
value does not become less when the
graduate engages in practical affairs.
He should not permit his taste for
language to become stale. His love
for literature of the best sort should
be kept lively. His reading need not
always be severely classical, nor con-
fined to books that were studied at
college. but it should certainly be
such as satisfies a well-estab lished
literary sense. His acquaintance
with the classical languages should
not fail. even If only kept alive by
the daily reading of the De Imita-
finno Nhriof3 m &ho 0.>.,. r.