The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-06-14

privilege and a pleasure to introduce
the speaker tonight" said DR.. Reid.
He really needs no introduction to
keokuk audiences. When he has
been here before he has delighted
and pleased his audiences. He was
the popular manager Of the Hamilton
chautauqua three summers ago. He
comes to us from an institution of
which We are proud, orr state col
lege at Ames. He has, however,
heard another call, and will go back
to Kansas this fall. We are sorry to
lose him from the state, but glad to
get him here tonight. We are glad to
get him because he represents Ames,
but we are more than glad to get
him here because we want him.
Prof. Arthur MacMurray chose for
the subject Of his address, "The Bull
wark Of Our Nation He defended
the educational system of our coun-
try. He declared that the critics did
not realize that the school people
themselves were correcting the weak
points In the system as fast as pos
sible. He addressed portion of his
talk to the graduates and gave them
some good advice which will be avail
ablel whether they go to college or
to work. Professor MacMurray said
that Iowa has more colleges than any
other state, and that they were all
good colleges. There was no reason
why young man or woman in Iowa
should not have college education.
Compliments Boys In Glass.
II am glad to be here said Profess
sor MacMurray, "and l think can
say that this is the largest and best
looking graduating class that ! have
addressed this year. This is surpris-
ing, too, no doubt, considering the
fact that there are more boys than
girls In the class. You should be
congratulated on this. 1t is a splen-
did sign and is test OF me effective
ness of the industrial plant that Mr..
Aldrich spoke of. in that 1t is claim
ing and holds boys in school.
These pupils have acquired the
ability to think and work and l trust
the ideals and aspirations which the
teachers have instilled in them will
become fixed ideas and actions as
they work out their own careers.
The Cry Of Pesslmlsm.
Occasionally one hears the cry OF
the pessimist these days. These
same pessimistic critics go SO far as
to point out the places wherein the
school system fails. They do not
heed the fact that the schools have
and are proving their effectiveness
and are advancing to higher plane
of effectiveness and power. They
are the bulwark of our nation. Their
strongest power is in the splendid
army of young men and women that
our high schools and educational in
situations Of today are sending forth
to fight in life's battle. saw not
long ago newspaper article intend
ing to poke fun at the graduates. It
was to the effect that statesmen could
step down now and let the graduates
solve the problems.
1--WE must not forget the fact that
we cannot solve all of the problems
in our day and age, and that many
of the important problems cannot be
solved until we have passed on in
life, and that they will devolye on
the coming generation.
Sees Only Success.
Zone man / know Of lost faith in
the system and in the coming genera
ton, and he took his spite out on the
public school system. He wrote an
article about the coming graduation
exercises and said he could see the
word failure written on the pack OF
the diplomas. prefer, however.
through my optimistic spectacles to
see the word success written on the
back of those diplomas that Will De
given you tonight.
wherein have they been success.
full. They started to school ten or
twelve years ago, probably. Many are
not here now, because they have
dropped out The problems perhaps
have been too hard. We are proud
of them tonight because they fin