Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-09-30


There were 2Ss applications for the fresh
man class. OF this number sc failed in
the entrance examinations and the actual
enrolment yesterday was 124 young men
and a. young women, a total of III. With
late enrolment the total may exceed
the 1S2 of year before last. which is the rec
ord zap to the present time The exercises
opened with the singing Of "St Thomas"
A prayer by Dean Perkins followed after
which the Scripture lesson. from
Ecclesastes MI, was read by President
Benton. The address was delivered by
President Benton on THE Inspiration of
Ideals" as follows:
PRESIDENT BENTON'S ADDRESS.
Students of the University of Vermont,
want to talk to YOU this morning on
the Inspiration of Ideals. What more ap-
propriate subject could engage the
thought of a body of young college folk
at the beginning of new academic year?
1t Is n challenge to your powers of atten-
ton. The lure of things that may be
comes with it's persua sive appeal at this
important crisis in your lives. The COM
mand of potential manhood or woman
hood is one that. for the sake of largest
should be eager to obey The stirring
power of infinite human possibilities
should move you to high resolve in this
supreme hour. out Of the obscuring mists
of futurity comes the still small voice
calling you to thoughts and deeds that.
answered properly will guarantee your
immortality. The God of the ages beck
ons you to move forward toward Him.
Your loftiest ideals may become realities.
You can be what You want to be.
Man is differentiated from the beast
in his spiritual nature only. He is an in
telectual, emotional. willing animal as
opposed to the mere instructive lower
orders. 1t is possible for any human
being. by catering to his animal nature,
by codding his baser impulses, to remain
forever on the bestial plane of life in
companionship with cats and dogs, al
ways his peers, and sometimes. his
superiors. 1t is his higher spiritual ma
ture which makes man n positive factor
for good or for i'll in the world. Upon
the cultivation of these spiritual poten-
tialities of the individual depends his
destiny and mis- happiness for time and
for eternity. 1t is the high mission of the
college to give its students the inspira
ton of ideals that wing their flight far
above the sordid and material things of
mere animalsm. The University of YER
mont will not fail to raise the standards
high. VIII You follow? The responsibility
for the answer rests separately with each
one of YOU
y lofty idealsm is our only salvation
from complete discoura gement-of
from utter despair. For man to feel,
despite the buffetings of the world the
unjust criticisms of men, the cruel mis-
interpretations and the bitter persecution
he must sometimes suffer. that he is still
unshackled in a personality that may rise
triumphant over every obstacle, is to have
the joyous consciousness Of a life that
can not suffer final defeat
Some time since, | casually met one of
the prominent public-schOol men of the
nation. a few years before, by the mach
nations of unscrupulCus local politicians.
he had been thrown out of his place as
| the head Of one of the largest city school
systems on this continent This was the
| first time | had seen him since that
humiliatng experience. | rather dreaded
| to talk to him. ! had heard others
lamenting the overthrow of this man who
was generally conceded to be one of our
abest educational leaders. Naturally
expected that he would be embittered in
tone and censorious in speech against
those who, without justification for their
action. had deprived him of his position
Imagine my surprise, therefore, to see
him wreathed in smiles and radiating the
sunshine of chcerfulness to everybody
around him. When l ventured to in
! IftIi bp I
the mstrcatment ne had suffered h'
answered mo, I was not discouraged.
was disappointed but | did not lose con
fidence in the integrity and fairness n
the majority of men nor did surrende
the spirit of high idealism that had al
ways fostered in the midst of n bus!
life" He said he believed the experience
had really done him good, for relief from
work had made 1t possible for him t
travel in Europe and spend year /,
Columbia University and, as a conse
quence, he felt in his new position tina
he was doing the best work of his life.
When ! inquired if the position he nov
held was as good as the one he lost HI
replied he supposed it would not b.
popularity so regarded; that 1t was Ger
tainly not as conspicuous, and not a
| TcinuneratlVe, nut that any position, N
matter how lowly or how poor in compen
sation. was a place Of honor provided i
was well filled as evidenced by an effec
tive service to mankind. a man with sucl
n spirit as that can never be put down
Humble or exalted in station, he Is squire
on to the JOY of accomplishment through
the inspiration of a noble ideal.
THE RIVALRY PROBLEM.
The rivalry problem is one of the great
, est entering into the economy of ou
social political and Industrial life Som
may doubt 1t, but it seems to me correc
| to affirm that every man and woman ha
his or her niche in this world and the ef
fort should be to find it. Some of u
are of the one talent. others OF fly
talents and perchance, some are even tie
talented Since We lack human foresight
since God kindly wells the future. tn
most of us must find our proper place
; as the result of frequent trial and sad ex
perience. Fair competition Is necessar
to determine place The mistake is mad
In failure cheerfully to accept result
and to conclude after defeat, that there
certainly some field of honest usefulnes
! Awaiting us other than the one in whic
} we had hoped to profit and honor oui
! selves and to serve our fellow men,
, There are certain ideals that may inspr
the Individual in and age and then ever