The Washington herald., 1916-06-14
The Graduates Opportunity.
ny oRIsON SWEET NARpEN.

ny SWEET MARDEN
DR.. Felix Adler of New York City, in an ad-
dress to graduates of the American Academy OF
Dramatic Arts, reminded them that their only
hope for the larger success to which every true
artist aspires lay in holding high ideal of their
profession, in regarding rher calling sacred
one. He cautioned them against the temptation
to think OF it merely means of getting llv-
ing and nothing more, but rather as great op-
portunity to serve society; that they should hold
very high ideal of the art itself, the object
Of which is to hold the mirror of life up to the
people
Apart from its moral and ethical influence,
multitudes of theater-goers learn about all they
know of the lighter side of life at its best-how
to behave, how to dress, how to act socially-at
the theaters. They get much of their life color
there. Some of them are reared in a wretched
home environment, in the midst of low-flying
ideals and all sorts of sin, and in the make
believe life on the stage they get glimpses Of
what should be. Here they imbibe the spirit
of heroism. of courage and daring, of nobility, Of
honesty, of truth, Of purity and justice. And
they get awful object lessons of the misery and
suffering that follow wrongdoing, the fearful
unhappiness the physical and mental suffering
which result from living immoral lives.
In other words, the stage is very close to the
pulpit in its influence upon the masses and mil
lions are influenced by the theater who never see
the inside of churches. Thus the calling of the
actor has immense possibilities of service.
We all actors on lfe's stage and every
one of the thousands OF graduates coming out Of
all Of our schools and colleges this year have
roles of supreme importance to play Their high
mission is to carry forward the work of human
betterment; to lift rung higher the
ladder of ascent.
You have commission from the Almighty
Ito do something out OF the ordinary for your
fellows. The torch OF learning has been put in
your hand that you may spread the light among
your less fortunate fellows. You have received
a message which carries freedom for people en-
shaved by ignorance and bigotry and it is your
business to deliver it. No matter what calling
you may enter your education, if it means any
thing, is increased obligation to live up to
the level Of your gift to the height of your
superior opportunity.
If your long years Of schooling have not
given you such view Of life and your relation
to others, your time has been wasted If your
college course has made you feel superior to
those who have not had your advantage; if it has
bred in you a contempt for drudgery and hatred
Iof the common ordinary paths which lead to sue
cess if you think your diploma will take the
place of hard work and git; if you imagine your
education is finished instead Of Just begun, then
you not educated and, before you can hope
ito succeed, you will have to begin your training
iall over again.
1t is your business to uplift the common
tasks, to show the dignity Of any form Of honest
work. Your education should have so broadened
your outlook to bring you into closer fellow
ship with all You should not have a mar
row view Of your own vocation, of that of
any other. The living getting side of it is merely
incidental. The biggest thing in a vocation is its
educative possibilities.
1t is low, mean, stngy view of vocation
to regard it from living getting point of view
only, or as means Of scrapng together dollars.
1t has larger, sublir!er meaning than that.
The making of man and not the mere sus-
tenance of the animal side OF man is what his
life's work really means.
1t was not intended that men and women
should slave all their lives for something to eat
and to wear and a comfortable place to live in.
We were not sent here for any such object We
were put here in this grand kindergarten Of God,
in this great manual training school, not alone
to make strong, vigorous, stalwart men and
women, but to develop souls, to make spiritual
beings OF a high order. To spend life catering
ito the animal part of US, giving only the scraps
OF our leisure, when too fatigued to earn
money, for the development of our higher life is
treason to ourselves, an insult to our Creator
The superb chance to make good in the
highest sense which now confronts the graduate
was not given him to be used for mere selfish
ends. He should look upon himself as the trus-
tee Of an infinitely sacred trust in the admins
tratlon OF which selfshness or greed should
take part