The farmer and mechanic., 1915-09-14

most century and quarter Of the
I.niversity's history. All of the factors
m vigorous and healthy life are ac-
lively and consciously cooperating in
IT'S support. 1t has the respect of it's
SISTER institutions throughout the
country. the confidence and esteem of
the people Of the State, the enthusias-
tic loyalty of it's alumni, and the in
teIligent and whole hearted love of it's
rapidly growing student body.
1t is not unnatural that we should
rejoice in its growing strength and
size and, conscious that no comprO-
mise of any standard has been made
that we have no disposition to apollo
,ize for this evidence of it's success
There are those who advocate the su-
pcrior virtue Of a small college, and
certainly none Of us here confuses
ucr. bulk and true greatness. Small
ness has it's associated virtues | do !
not need to name them. Growth has
its problems: two is, under some cir |
cumstanCes. said to be company |
where three is Il crowd small |
business has virtues; it is sometimes |
called a pretty business. SwitZer-
land is an admirable country in its
tine way. 1t has many advantages not
possessed by the United States. 1t is
untroubled by many complex problems
that vex this great country. l should
not argue, however, that it was greater
because it was smaller. nor hope for
any sound conclusions from an argu-
ucnt founded on it's miniature and
fixed proportions.
trust that the time will never
come when we shall rejoice in size
fer its own sake, nor sacrifice q detail
81 our standards for the sake of false
growth; but | do rejoice that the
University reflects in it's growth a we'll
proportioncd and vigorous life, and
reflects the steadily increasing interest
OF the state in education, carrying
with it, as evidenced by your presence
here. the endorsement of every sec
tion, Of every vocation and profession,
Of every degree of poverty and welath.
We believe too much in what it stands
Ter. not to rejoice that SO many of the
people of the State believe in what
1t stands for. 1t gives uS courage,
faith. and aggressive purposes to go
about widening and deepening the
saving influences Of the permanently
great things that it lives to promote.
said n moment ago that the true
greatness of the University and the
reality of it's progress does not de
pend on it's size. l should like to put
to you the question: Upon what does
its true greatness depend? and the
corollary question: Upon what does
your success here, ard your own
pend? We shall not make much pro-
gress until we get some clear and in
telligent approach to an answer tC
these questions. Whether we get ar
answer in the few moments that
shall ask you to consider them now
we may make a start toward al
answer that the year will make
clearer.
The answer that l give, l offel
without preliminary: The greatness
of a college depends upon its abilit!
tu satisfy the supreme human neet
of the people 2nd time it serves. Th'
life and health of a college are no
mysterious. Colleges have a way o
| dying and going TO seed; they have
way. as the years go by ard take to-
al their vitality. of losing their fruit
ful impulse. and becoming "A set o
more or less worthy and dignitied by
laws. The great college Is the colleS
that supplies the civilization IT serve
with "A program Of guidance wa
oUt of the difficulties through Whic
| the people are trying to find their way
and cquipS its students to be repre-
| sentative men in the era in which the
live. Colleges have risen to Sreatnee
as they have done this, and they haV
fallen away as they have merely re
| Teatcd in mechanical routine trad
tonal exercises that are off the ke
t the master note Of their own tim
Ii would not be difficult to show.
think. how great institutions hay
been as naturally the outgrowth of tf
life of the people they served as tf
trees of the soil. and how they rel
resent the successfully great ideas az
ideals that man in his slow proGre
through the centuries has evolve
They have realized for men the re
htc relations that men at work ha'
been steadily trying to discover, al
have equipped young men to interpr
these relations through their profe
sIons the University of Paris Salern
Bologna, oxford, Berlin, the gre
technical schools of Europe, and,
our own country, Harvard, Hopklr
and the great state universities. Tn