The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-04-15

individual conscience. Unless men b.
taught that obedience is right and hon
orable and necessary alike for private
interest and public veal, legislation viii
avail but little, the law making power
will become a moctery and the people
thmselyes will complain that Legislation
has been carried to excess.
But conscience has need of high,
er sanction than any merely human
sense of justice. To meet the require
ments OF our religious, social and polit-
ical situation is duty that we owe
to the church and to our country. To
fulfil it we must combine our efforts, and
/ rejoice that in the Catholic university
center of thought and action has been
provided
Cardinal O'Connelrs address at the
academic exercises on "The Office and
responsibilities of the university in
American life. was in part as follows;
"We stand to-day at the beginning Of
a new era in the history of higher Cath
Ole education in America. We rejoice
in the goodly heritage OF these twenty
five years; but we also look with much
solemn thought to the future. The uni
versity is, first of all, home OF cul-
ture. 1t trains nien OF learning, of noble
ideals and high standings; and though
them it determines the culture of the
alton. But it also trains the leaders,
explaining the functions of the state,
the rights and duties OF citizenship; the
vital problem OF society. its ills and their
remedies.
THE growth = every university is
measured by the closeness OF its contact
with the body polite and by the success
with which it meets the nations needs.
1t must be conservative. revering and
the heritage Of the past
put it must also be progressive. dealing
with new needs and problems.
We Catholics are deeply interested in
education because, as loyal
American citizens. we have at heart
whatever is OF vital concern TO the
hurch and the nation.
"The existence of this Catholic uni
'ersity is an evidence quite as much of
Iur interest in our country as of our
interest in our church. Both Catholic
.ltu the university Will gam
oree through its service TO the country, |
While its Catholieity will keep ii in con-
tant and unerring touch with that tre-
nendous spiritual world7power which |
as maintained the whole truth among |
II nations, in all sges-the chair of the
lessed Peter"
President Hall. of the American As
nciatinn of TniVersitips in his address
{ the academic exercises, said in part:
"The medieval universities We're not |
at institutions. created by church. state
r millionaires, but they grew inevitably L
ut OF the Utmost needs OF the time, and II
ulls and edicts usually confined a stat
: already attained. Their close rela-
ons to the church gave to learning II
that it never had in an
guilty, and which il may never have
gain. The subject matter has, of course,
langed much with the time. but near
every feature Of student life. method
teaching and learning, items of organ
alton, academic custom and even COS
lme. was already developed in the fifty II
Universities established in Europe a cen
lry before the discovery OF America.
hey and their work and its results con.
itute perhaps the greatest achievement
the middle ages. and their effects upon
e progress of Europe and the world
"a been without precedent or parallel" |