The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-09-29
URGED OBEDIENCE
TO HIGH IDEALS
President Benton of University of YER
mont Addressed Students at Re-
opening of College This
Morning.

Burlington, Sept. 20.--In addressing
the students at the opening OF the AGA
demic year ut the University of Yer
mont to-day, President Benton spoke on
the Inspiration OF IDEALS" and at the
conclusion said.
"The purpose, then, of this heart to
heart talk, students, new and old, is To
urge you at the beginning Of the college
year to resolve that you will be led on
by the splendid vision Of what each one
Of you may do in pushing civilization
forward toward the goal Of perfection.
To that end, in this critical hour / wish
TO impress you with the belief that, in
college, you must be inspired by the am
bition to make your individual lives all
that they each may be as preliminary
condition to the inspiration of the ideal
for the larger patriotism which finds its
noblest expression in living for the good
OF all humanity.
There are several specific ideals that
| might set before you and which II APP
propfiated as your incentives to personal
success, should bring you out into that
large place where you could catch the in
spiration of the bigger, the patriotic
ideal. 1t is essential that you have
some conception of the possibilities Of
the larger life in order to find the keen
est incentive to personal accomplish
ment The two ideals are necessary.
There is the ideal of public service as
an indispensable stimulus to private Ell.
deavor and there is the ideal of private
success as a prerequisite to efficient pub
lie service.
1T is life of affirmation and not one
Of negation that must be set as the
standard for every one who would real
ize on human potentialties in the per-
sonal endcavor necessary to preparation
for the larger and better service Of hui
manity. Taking, then, the broadcast pos.
sible view of individual and general re.
sponsibilities, looking at the problem Of
existence in the large, the two prime
ideals toward which every man and
woman should strive are these: First,
TO be able to think straight and, second
TO feel right Some people put all the
empasis on the thinking and they are the
coldly intellectual wooden or iron folks |
who find no joy for themselves and
whose very GOODNESS and stiffness limit |
their usefulness to Others. Again there !
are those who put in all their time nurs-
ing or cultivating the feelings and these |
are those whose effervescing emotions
,reate the impression of superficial froth-
ness which makes them unreliable.
students, beloved, have been en-.
to give the emphasis of repe-
.ition TO some very old truths. There
: nothing new under the sun. The best
hat any OF us can hope to do is to put
he stamp of our own thinking on es.
,alished principles. / have been glad,
therefore,, in these opening moments of
college year fraught with such posi-
Utilities of veal or of woe for each of you
o reiterate with the stress Of my per-
onal convictions, certain mighty facts
hat viii have all to do with your use
illness and happiness in the present life
nd with your immortal glory in the
life that is to be. The challenge will
ONE to you daily In college life, and !
naturer years, to rise to better service
or humanity through obedience to thu
aspiration OF an ideal in your individual [
ives which finds you ever striving TO
hink straight and to feel right"