Omaha daily bee., 1915-12-29
Courage More
Important than
aBank Account
By JOIN Il. I. MAIN.

and that wants TO go to college does not
do go because he fears the handicap of
slender resources
His fears overcome his desire
Instead OF going to college he takes n
Job and loses a great opportun ~
To be sure his lack OF courage has gone
far to prove that he was not the genuine
college type
II suggests that he would not have
won out Gs college man.
college man needs courage in tho face
OF difficulties.
Courage is more important than bank
account.
Any lad with o conviction based on
good common sense and fair record In
the preparatory school Ia entitled to a
college education IL he wants ii. and It is
certain TO be his ~ he determines that
Il shall be.
Some weeks ago | sat near four lads
In a railroad car en- route from North
ampton. Mass. to Springfield Their con-
versaton indicated that they were In
the last year OF a high school course.
They were discussing the prospects Of
next year in college. Three OF the lads
had chosen the same college. One had
chosen Harvard college They were eager.
QulSh~WiNNcu l&obs awe 10 the problems
of college and the future.
Their speech indicated that their re-
sources were slender Three were urging
the fourth to "come along" but the
fourth had his mind made up and finally
declared warmly. IT am going to Har-
ward 1 am going to Harvard II II takes
all the rest OF my life to pay the debt"
The emphasis of his words marked him
out as a fit subject for college educa-
ton. He had planned his educational flu
ture. He was determined to have what
he had planned 10 have He had made
his choice and Illustrated the fact that
In comparison with courage and the will
TO achieve the questions OF money of
expense, OF location are quite incidental.
This lad already had success well I'm
command. Success was already his serv-
ant. In the ordinary and normal course
OF things he viii go to the college OF his
choice.
He win leave It at graduation in debt.
He will not stay I'm debt but he will go
to work and pay his debt and be sue
cessful man and citizen. His debt will
be perpetual inspiration and a perpetual
Investment. bringing back not only dol
lars. but innumerable satisfac tions, both
material and spiritual
Many business men would advise this
lad not to go TO college. They would
say to him. You can't afford It," Such
men have no capacity TO see a debt as
an investment
They 90 not realize that the greatest
Investments that have ever been made
have originally been debts. They see
only the difficulty and do not realize that
a wise lad reduces a difficulty to it's sim
pie elements or pays no attention to It
whatever.
A story lie told OF the Wright brothers.
I do not know whether It is true or not.
II It is not true, It ought to be true.
When Wilbur and Orville Wright were
lads they worked in their fathers back
yard in Dayton. o.. on various mechani--
cal devices, spurred on by the ambition
that they might some days make fly
ing machine. An old neighbor noticed
the boys working. He would occasionally
come and watch them. One day the old
neiRhbor said to Wilbur:
wilbur, don't you know that nobody
ever did make flying machine?'
Wilbur reflected and made no reply.
After a moment the old gentleman con-
tinued:
wilbur, don't you know that nobody
ever win make flying machine?'
stin no reply from wilbur. And then
finally. as II 70 settle the whole matter:
wilbur, II anybody ever did make a
flying machine, It wouldn't be nobody In
Dayton.
That remark finished the neighbor, but
the flying machine was built. and new
mechanical world was created.
IL isn't every lad that can achieve the
Impossible" as the Wright brothers did.
but every lad with common sense and an
adequate amount OF that indefinable quail
ity known as "gumption" can find a way
70 go to college. and IL he goes TO college
he will ultimately achieve success. Bet
ter still. he will be achieving success all
the time. Success is process. He will
capitalize and recapitalize his debts and
his capacities ana bring back to himself
many satisfactions and give them in turn
back to the world.
Once william James. In beginning his
course in Harvard university, said to the
students who filled his lecture room
something like this:
Possibly there are no geniuses In this
room. / hope there's none, but every
one who is here, II he works hard. II
he gets a Job. II he persists--when he is
40 years OF age will be useful and re-
spected man In his community"
The lads who arc fit TO go TO college
are not primarily the ones who have re-
sources. not the ones who have genius.
but the ones. regardless OF resources and
genius. who have the will-to-achieve.